The Heartsign
by sarenelsoria
Summary: Bilbo knew all his life that once his Heartsign appeared, he would know the dwarf he was meant to ill he found he had to wait for his adopted brothers Fili and Kili to be old enough to journey to find their family.Once there he finds that his Heartsign is not only one dwarf as he had expected and that must chose. Hobbits can love several at once, while dwarves love only one.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Bilbo stared up at the dwarven statues guarding the gate. "That one looks like you!" Kili exclaimed and pointed at the statue on the left, as Fili looked at the statue.

"No it doesn't not really." Fili protested and Bilbo smiled at both the young dwarves.

"He looks a bit like you, just like I look a bit like any other hobbit. Your hair curls similarly so I could see why Kili thought it looked like you." Bilbo said and stretched out his arms. "Personally I want to go to the market and get a proper meal, before we go to find your family, don't think there will be much time otherwise."

"I'm fine with that, I'm hungry as well and well I'm nervous about this." Fili admitted.

"They are your family Fili."

"You're my family Bilbo, you and Kili, you are who I grew up with and who I care the most about. I haven't seen my Uncle or my mother since I was twenty four, I hardly remember them."

"But you remembered enough to know they were from Erebor, that they would be here in the mountain, if they were still alive."

"That's a large if Bilbo, I'm not sure we should have come, I was happy in the Shire with you and Kili."

"But would you have never known your kin, you deserve to know them Fili."

"They didn't look for us!" Fili protested.

"How do you know they didn't, just because they didn't show up to the Shire, doesn't mean they didn't search for you, that they didn't miss you." Bilbo settled an arm around the young dwarf's shoulders.

"How do you know that they will want to see us? How do you know that they will accept us, dwarves that were raised by a hobbit they call brother? How do you know they won't take one look at us and send us on our way?"

"Because you are family and family matters to every race on Middle Earth. Of course they will want to know you, who wouldn't? You are brave, kind and funny young dwarrows and how could anyone that knows you not come to care about you. Your family will want to know you boys, everything will be fine."

"And you'll find your match and we'll all live happily ever after, as we dance through the daisies?" Fili demanded. "Oh its a pretty picture you make, but life is seldom as simple as all that."

"Well can you at least try to hold back your fears, until they are well founded?" Bilbo asked and Fili nodded, as Kili frowned.

"You really think that they won't accept us Fi?" Kili asked.

"I don't know, most likely they will, and if not we'll always have one another and Bilbo." Fili said.

"You can count on that, but perhaps we should buy some dwarven clothing."

"I wouldn't be comfortable in that, I prefer my waistcoat, there's no point in pretending to be something I'm not." Kili stated and Fili nodded.

"I agree with Kili, I wouldn't even know how to wear dwarven clothing." Fili admitted and Bilbo nodded.

"Whatever you boys want to do." Bilbo said and smiled at the guard who stared at him and his nephews.

"What is your business in Erebor?"

"We're meeting with our kin." Fili replied and the dwarf nodded.

"What's in the wagon?"

"Some of our possessions, we are considering moving to Erebor." Fili replied and the dwarf nodded.

"Then you wouldn't mind if we searched your wagon."

"We have nothing to hide." Fili replied and Bilbo nodded.

"If you wish to look inside you may." Bilbo stated and the guard went around back to the wagon, which held furniture, a bed and several other belongings.

"Seems like your more than considering moving, however all are welcome in Erebor, as long as they contribute to the good of the community."

"And we intend to, once we are settled." Fili stated and the dwarf nodded, letting them into the city.

Bilbo nodded towards a place where other wagons were being kept, he parked his and paid a fee for putting the horses in a stable and for someone to watch over the wagon. He then went with Fili and Kili to the section of the market selling food.

"What is all this?" Fili said looking at a stall and frowning. "Why would anyone want something called rock cakes?" He muttered and Bilbo chuckled, as Kili ran excitedly ahead before running back to Fili and Bilbo.

"They are selling meat pastries!" Kili called. "Can we get some? Can we Bilbo?" He demanded and Bilbo smiled.

"I don't see why not." Bilbo stated. "Lead the way." He added and Kili lead him to a stall that smelled good, Bilbo paid for three pastries for each of them and they ate them as they walked around the market. Bilbo saw something that looked somewhat like unrolled sticky rolls and bought some for all three of them. "Where do you think we'll find your family?" Bilbo asked biting off a piece of the pastry and ate it.

"I think we should go to the council hall and see if anyone has heard of them. Though it might be hard to find them without knowing their lineage, I mean the names Thorin and Dwalin isn't much to track anyone down by." Fili said and frowned. "What if the council won't be able to help?"

"If they are unable to help we'll think of something else Fi, we'll find a way for you to meet your family again."

"I just remember them talking about Erebor, saying about how much better it was before the dragon came."

"At least you can remember them, I can't remember them at all." Kili said and nibbled on his pastry. They walked together through the streets each focused on their own thoughts. They finished the pastries and cleaned their fingers with handkerchiefs.

"Well we should go then, I want to get this over with." Fili stated and Bilbo nodded.

"Whatever you believe to be best." Bilbo replied and clapped both dwarrows on the back. "Now lets get this business done, then we can search for housing." Bilbo said and Fili and Kili nodded. They walked together to the council hall and cued in line behind the others waiting. They got a lot of strange looks for their manner of dress, particularly Fili and Kili, as well as the way their hair was tied back. Fili stiffened at the looks, while Kili seemed oblivious.

Bilbo waited with his brothers until he got to the front of the line and was escorted forward, the king stared directly at him a stunned look upon his face. Bilbo strode forward and smiled at the dwarven king, before bowing low. "I am Bilbo Baggins of Bagend, I have come to find my heartsign and to help my heartkin find their bloodkin. For that purpose I would like to enlist the help of the court to search for the family of those I consider to be brothers. All we have to go on is several names and the memories of small children, but we would be grateful for any assistance you could provide."

"What are the names of those you are searching for?" A dwarrowdam interrupted and Bilbo smiled at her.

"I am in search of three dwarves, Thorin, Dwalin and Gloin, as well as a fourth which Fili and Kili only remember as their mother." Bilbo said and the dwarrowdam stared at the boys in shock, looking at them hungrily.

"How can you be certain that these young men are Fili and Kili?" A bald dwarf demanded and Fili looked over to him and stared a moment before breaking into a wide smile.

"Cousin Dwalin?" Fili demanded and the man looked at him assessing. "You got more tattoos, do you still have the axes? I could lift one now." He smiled at the dwarf.

"That you could, how is it that Fili and Kili came into your care?" Dwalin demanded and Bilbo smiled at Dwalin.

"I am glad that we found you, I never stopped sending missives, but at first the boys used assumed names and later after many years passed I suppose that you gave up hope to see them and so did not pay attention to any notices I had posted."

"Why didn't you take them to a dwarven settlement? Why did none of our folk come for them?" Dwalin demanded as the dwarrowdam continued to simply stare at Fili and Kili.

"Amad?" Fili interrupted as he looked back at the woman and a moment later both brothers ran forward and into the dwarrowdam's arms, she held them and cried, stroking their hair and looking at each one in turn.

Bilbo smiled at the boys and their mother, they had cried at first for her and even though that stopped in time, they had still missed her. She was never far from their thoughts and Bilbo had tried to draw a portrait of her, but had never managed to do so, as he hadn't met her himself. He had wished often that his brothers could find their kinsmen and he was delighted that they had, though slightly unnerved by the dwarf who hadn't yet stopped staring at him. "Several offered over the years to take them in, but either they seemed to be going through hard times themselves, or they seemed unsuitable to care for them. I decided that they deserved to be with their kin and that I would not simply allow any dwarrow to take them. However they also had the right to know their culture and traditions and to that purpose I found a tutor for them in Bree that was willing to teach them Khudzul as well as battle tactics and blacksmithing. When they were not in lessons with that dwarf, they were being taught by my kinsmen."

" **So you speak the tongue** ," Dwalin asked.

" **Yes we speak it cousin.** "

" **As do I, I have never met my heartsign, which is the hobbit equivalent of a one, but due to my taking longer to age than the rest of my kinsmen, my One is a dwarf and therefore I am allowed to learn the mother tongue of my One's people."** Bilbo said.

 **"You say your One is a dwarf, but you do not recognize him?"** For the first time the king spoke.

"Hobbits recognize their heartkin only by touch." Bilbo replied and the king nodded, before lurching forward and kissing Bilbo demandingly. Bilbo felt Thorin's claim, Thorin's possession and the burning heat radiating out from his chest. He gasped and Thorin took that as encouragement to deepen the kiss. Bilbo felt a white hot fury as he leapt backwards as if scalded. "How dare you? How dare you commit such a public display? Without even offering to court me, or asking to touch that which is not yours!"

"Not mine! You belong to me, as I belong to you."

"I belong to myself, just as you belong to yourself. We may share a heartbeat and might have come from the same breath of the valar, but that does not make you have a claim to my person!" Bilbo said he was so angry, this wasn't how courting was done at all. When first being courted such public displays were never done, even married couples didn't carry on so. He had barely spoken an entire sentence to Bilbo, before rushing in and kissing her with a demand that not only frightened her, but also appalled her. To be kissed so publically amidst so many strangers was outrageous to his hobbit sensibilities. More over he had been claimed as though he were a mere servant wench, that others did what they wanted to. King or No, his heartsign or no, he would not allow someone to act so towards him.

"How dare you force yourself upon our brother!" Kili demanded and everyone stared at him in shock, except for Fili who was just as outraged. The boys had missed the kiss, but not Bilbo's reaction to it.

"I did nothing of the kind!"

"You kissed him and he was unwilling, that's still forcing yourself upon him. You did so without the proper courting, without even attempting to get to know him first. Thereby weakening the bond between you and making it harder for a lasting and vibrant one to form."

"There are different bonds?" Thorin demanded and was met with three glares.

"There are potential bonds, bonds that might happen with time and nurturing. A heartsign is different in that those that are connected by one share a part of their life force with one another. At least that is the way with hobbits, one hobbit's life is bound to the life of their heartsign, when one dies the other follows. Moreover hobbits need to have a healthy bond to be healthy they, a weak bond, or one that is faded can do more harm than good. By forcing your first touch upon him and in such a manner, you could only have hurt the bond between you. Heartsigns show a connection that might be strong and lasting, but unlike dwarves hobbits might have more than one. This is to protect them from those that might try to harm them, or a bond that sours, so that they do not have to stay with someone cruel forever."

"So you can abandon our bond?" Thorin demanded and Bilbo nodded.

"I can and I can form another with someone else, if I so desire. Bonds can also change with time, for example my bond with Fili and Kili started as a protective one, but it turned into a blood kin bond. I consider them to be my brothers, as they consider me to be theirs." Bilbo stated. "Even hobbits don't fully understand bonds, when we feel connected with someone else, we spend more time with them, then whatever connection we might have develops naturally. By the time we touch for the first time, it does not hurt as badly as it did when you kissed me."

"I hurt you?"

"It hurts to touch up against another's fae to feel their life energy, if you do not know them and they do not know you." Bilbo replied and couldn't help but rub at his heart. "To touch a hobbit is to show your soul for a moment, but more than that it shows your intentions towards them and the bond you might have. If we accept the touch and are prepared for it, it's different, because our fae accept the energy of the other's fae and we are prepared to feel the touch of another's spirit against our own. Touch is always offered in the Shire, to touch someone without their permission is anathema." Bilbo shuddered still feeling the energy of the bond and the anger inside him, as well as Thorin's possession. For if Thorin loved Bilbo as he claimed, his intentions had not loved when he had kissed him, it had been about claiming.

"You are my One, surely my touch would not harm you."

"Your intention in that moment was not of love, but of possession. You wanted to claim me as yours and for me to recognize our bond. You did not care what might have happened to me, you simply acted upon what I said, without further explanation. You hurt me by claiming me in such a manner and angered me by doing so, I am a hobbit and we do not respond well to others trying to claim us without our consent. Moreover we do not respond well to others believing that they have a right to do what they wish to us. I have no desire to see you at the moment, good day sir." Bilbo said and turned on his heel marching out of the hall. Fili and Kili hesitated watching the hobbit retreat.

"You go Ki, I'll stay with Amad." Fili stated and Kili nodded, dashing after the hobbit and taking him by the hand. Bilbo smiled at Kili and Kili returned the smile.

"So what do you want to do brother? Would you like to run, or bake?" Kili asked and Bilbo laughed.

"You know me too well, but I don't think I can go anywhere to bake for the moment, so I suppose running it must be." Bilbo said ruffling Kili's hair. Kili laughed and dodged Bilbo's hands, before taking off down the corridors. Bilbo hesitated a moment, before following him. People stared at the hobbit and the dwarf who ran through the marketplace. Bilbo had always loved running and when he had been in middle childhood and the boys children, they had spent many hours running and playing in the Shire. Bilbo stopped in front of an alehouse and Kili chuckled.

"You want to drown your sorrows then?" Kili asked and Bilbo laughed.

"Actually I wanted to try some ale, the run helped clear my head." Bilbo said and Kili grinned.

"So you can muddle it, well I'll join you if that's alright."

"Of course." Bilbo said and sat down with Kili, they drank four flagons, before Bilbo even thought of going back. "We should go..."

"One more round." Kili said. "I don't want to think about it. I'm sorry Bilbo."

"Its not your fault who your kinsman is." Bilbo replied and drank another flagon with Kili, starting to feel slightly drunk, while Kili was clearly more than slightly. Bilbo ordered two more flagons each and tried to order a third, which the dwarf tapping the barrels refused.

"You've drunk enough." He stated and Bilbo frowned, he was drunk, but not so drunk that his mind could be free of what had happened, nor the disappointment that went along with it. He had never expected his first meeting with his heartsign to go so and he felt hurt fill him. He had traveled across middle earth, for a man that wanted only to possess him he put his head on the table and started to cry.

"Sahalll right." Kili slurred, his hand stroking against Bilbo's back, Bilbo felt his brother's desire to comfort him and continued to cry. "Iahm heeer." He continued to stroke Bilbo's back until Bilbo was able to gain control of himself. Bilbo sat up and dabbed at his cheeks with a handkerchief. "Lehts go.

"Alright Ki, thank you." Bilbo said and the stall owner stared at him in confusion, as Bilbo took Kili's hand. "We could go back to the wagon for now."

"No, Fili." Kili said and Bilbo smiled.

"I'll get Fili for you, you need to sleep it off, it's stronger than hobbit ale." Bilbo said and Kili laughed, then nearly stumbled over the cobblestones. Bilbo tried to correct his balance and nearly caused them to both overbalance. They both laughed as they managed to right themselves and walked down the street. Bilbo realized soon that he had no idea of where they were and the streets were much like a maze. Kili stumbled along with him and he was growing tired of feeling the young dwarf's drunken good cheer. Moreover he was getting hungry and it was clear that they had somehow made their way into the crafter's portion of the market. Bilbo realized that perhaps that part of the market wasn't the best place to be in drunk and followed his nose back to the food stalls. At this point Kili was yawning.

"Mm sleepy Bilbo." He complained and Bilbo sighed, clearly the ale had helped Kili, but as for him, it had only seemed to darken his mood.

"I know, next time don't drink as much as I do." Bilbo said and Kili pouted.

"Its not fair, why you get to drink more?"

"Because I hold it better." Bilbo stated and Kili smiled.

"Wanna run?" He asked and Bilbo shook his head.

"No Kili, I want to get some food and find our wagon." Bilbo replied and Kili pouted.

"I wanna run." He said and Bilbo sighed, Kili acted a few years younger than he should at the best of times, but in his cups he sometimes had the habit of acting like a belligerent fauntling.

"I know, but lets get something to eat first alright?" Bilbo asked and Kili frowned a minute before nodding. They walked together to a stall, when a man in the colors of the royal guard ran up to them.

"Your wanted in the dining hall."

"We are fine eating here and then we need to get back to our wagon, if you know the way."

"It is the King's orders." The man said and Bilbo arched an eyebrow.

"Well if the king orders it." Bilbo stated and walked with Kili and the guard to the dining hall. He took the spot next to Fili.

"Your chair is at my side." Thorin stated.

"My chair is where I want it to be."

"Do not defy me!"

"You aren't my king, nor do you have a right to seek to control me." Bilbo stated and glared at Thorin. "I will sit between my brothers." He stated and Kili picked that moment to turn green. "Someone take Kili to the privy." He said and one of the guards leapt up and escorted Kili to the nearest privy, Bilbo followed behind them and held back Kili's hair as he threw up most of his ale. "Don't try to out drink hobbits if you want to keep your ale instead of loosing it." Bilbo chided gently. "That's it lad better out then in, soon you'll be feeling better." He promised feeling slightly bad about not making sure Kili didn't drink too much. Finally Kili finished and dabbed at his mouth with his handkerchief. "Do you want to eat, or would you rather lie down, I'm sure your Uncle would forgive your absence due to your being sick."

"I'm hungry, your right I drank too much." Kili said and Bilbo shook his head, as he followed the young dwarf back to the table.

"Are you alright?" Fili asked and Kili nodded.

"Need to learn my limits." Kili stated and smiled at his brother, as Bilbo sat between them.

"So what did you do after leaving the hall?"

"We ran through the market and found an ale stall, dwarven ale is stronger than what's brewed in the Shire." Bilbo said and smiled at Fili. "We then found our way back to the food stalls, when the guard caught up with us." Bilbo saw a pitcher of water and poured some for Kili, adding a few sprigs of mint from one of his pockets.

"Thanks Bilbo." Kili said and drank the water slowly before chewing at the peppermint. "Not as good hot, but still a relief." He said and Bilbo smiled at his brother. He poured himself more ale and Kili eyed the cup. "You sure about having some?" He asked and Bilbo nodded firmly.

"I know my limits." Bilbo stated and waited for the courses to arrive. He was hungrier than anticipated and was surprised at the different things on the table. Kili started asking what they were, as several courses seemed different than what people ate in the Shire. Kili poked at a grey cake frowning down at it and Bilbo looked at the young dwarf, until he finally put some of the rock cake in his mouth and hastily reached for his water.

"Don't try the cake, its spicy Bilbo." Kili warned and Bilbo smiled.

"I thought you liked spicy.

"Not something that burns like fire!"

"Really like fire?" Fili asked and took a bite of his cake, chewing thoughtfully a moment, before hastily reaching for his ale cup. "You can't taste anything but the heat." He complained after downing his ale.

"That's the point, it puts hair on your chest and warms you in the cold." Dwalin stated laughing at the reaction the boys had. "You should try it, you could do with more hair." Dwalin told Bilbo who arched an eyebrow, before cutting into the cake.

"Don't do it Bilbo." Kili said as Bilbo hesitated a moment, before taking a bite and chewing. The cake was filled with hot peppers and what seemed to be potatoes. Bilbo found that he actually liked the taste; he'd developed a fondness for spicy food when Fili and Kili had started asking for it years ago. While it was much spicier than anything he had tried and felt like his mouth was on fire and made him break out in a sweat, he found it was not entirely unpleasant, particularly when washed down with ale. He finished his mug and switched to water, noticing how the world had started to blur pleasantly. He continued to eat the cake, as other dwarves stared at him in astonishment. He finished it and dabbed at his face with his napkin.

"A bit hot for my taste, but it was excellent none the less. I could never get peppers to grow right in our garden at home, do you like it Fili?" Bilbo asked and smiled at Fili who grinned at him.

"Well enough with ale to wash it down." Fili stated and Bilbo laughed smacking Fili on the back, as Fili laughed as well.

"The boys wanted spicy food and so I learned how to grow peppers and prepare them, while I don't usually make things that spicy, I found it to be quite tasty. As for hair we grow that on our feet and not on our chins as you dwarves do. I doubt my hair will grow overmuch from eating spicy peppers." Bilbo said and leaned back. His mouth was finally easing in its burning. "Could I trouble someone for some lemon?" He asked.

"Ooh I want some too." Fili said and finished his mug of ale.

"And me." Kili said. Several lemons were brought and Bilbo cut into one squeezing it into the three glasses. He then downed his and shuddered slightly at the sensation, his mouth filled with the sour and the leftover spice. He then poured a glass of water for himself. He smiled as Fili downed it and laughed at his face as he gulped down the water.

"Why are you eating lemons?" Dwalin asked.

"It helps to dull the spice." Bilbo replied. "The sour doesn't last as long on the tongue." He explained and drank a further two cups of water. "Not to mention that they used to have fun watching my face, when I cooked something spicy so I decided turn about was fair play. I learned to enjoy spice and they learned to enjoy sour things and we all got to enjoy each other's faces." Bilbo laughed at the memory.

"I'd like to try some." Dwalin said and Bilbo frowned.

"Well there's enough left." Bilbo said and passed Dwalin a lemon, he squirted it into his cup and knocked it back. His face was a picture as he let out a yell and quickly reached for the water.

"How do you stand that?" He demanded and Bilbo laughed.

"Its something that takes some getting used to." Bilbo said.

"Some getting used to?" Dwalin questioned as the next course arrived, this time it was fish, with corn and mashed potatoes. Bilbo enjoyed the subtlety flavored fish and corn, as well as the potatoes. He skipped the next course, which seemed to be some sort of spicy soup. The course after that was a potato casserole. Bilbo tried some of it and decided that he liked it, despite it being somewhat more spicy than what he would have made.

"Where are we staying tonight?" Kili asked suddenly.

"In the royal quarters, where else would you stay?" Dwalin asked. "After dinner is done, a servant will show you to your rooms."

"Oh alright." Kili said and smiled. "It will be good not to sleep in the wagon again." He said and yawned. "Excuse me." He said as the deserts arrived. Bilbo was glad because he felt slightly uncomfortable with everyone looking at him when they thought he wasn't looking. Bilbo took a slice of pie, before passing it down the table. He ate the pie and smiled at Kili who had taken several of the different cakes. Bilbo chuckled as Fili frowned.

"You were sick earlier, how can you eat so much? Won't you be sick again?"

"I'm fine." Kili assured his brother, before digging into the cake. "Just drank a bit much is all." He said and Fili nodded. Bilbo had stopped trying to fully control what his brothers ate several years earlier. Bilbo finished his slice of pie and sat at the table, when he noticed that no one else had stood. It took several more minutes before Thorin got to his feet swaying and clearly very drunk.

"Goodnight." He said and left the hall; a servant came up to them and led them to their rooms. Bilbo frowned when he heard crashing next door to his, followed by cursing. Bilbo went hurriedly into the room and stared at Thorin who was tangled in his armor.

"Do you need help?" Bilbo asked.

"Go away." Thorin said and Bilbo frowned, as Thorin tried to untangle his armor from around his legs, only he was uncoordinated due to being drunk and wasn't managing much of anything. Bilbo straitened out the armor and helped Thorin out of it, which glared at him. "Why you helping me?"

"Because you need it." Bilbo replied, feeling a bit of anger as well as lust from Thorin.

"So you can touch me, but I can't touch you?" Thorin actually looked like he was pouting.

"Do you not want me to help, because I can go back to my room." Bilbo said and stood swaying slightly, as he held out his hands and Thorin took them lurching to his feet.

"Why are you helping me?" Thorin asked.

"Because you need it and you're too stubborn to ask for it." Bilbo replied and smiled. "I am quite used to how stubborn dwarves can be. Let me tell you, that was a challenge when they were small." Bilbo laughed at the memory as he helped Thorin out of his chain mail shirt. "Do you need help with your shoes?" Bilbo asked and Thorin grumbled, before he sat down on the bed and Bilbo untied his boots. This time it was a bit of confusion and gratitude as well as the ever present desire Bilbo felt directed towards him. "Goodnight." Bilbo said, before retreating towards the door, before he was half way across the room, Thorin started snoring. Bilbo smiled, before realizing that he had to snuff out the candles in the room still and so he went around the room blowing them out. He hesitated by the bed, looking at the dwarf who had sprawled across it. Thorin laid on his back his arms and legs outstretched, his mouth open as he snored. Bilbo smiled softly, before seeing a blanket on the back of the chair and going towards it. He had almost grabbed it when Thorin let out a moan. Bilbo turned back towards the bed and stared as Thorin's hips jerked up and down. he muttered something in his sleep, which was unintelligible. Bilbo stared at the dwarf in shock, he felt his face flame in response to the sleeping dwarf's wanton behavior and felt his cock harden in response. Bilbo knew he shouldn't be watching Thorin, but he was held transfixed as the dwarf pleasured his dream partner and took his pleasure in return.

"Bilbo!" Thorin cried and stilled as a wet stain spread across his underclothing. Bilbo blushed and nearly ran from the room and into his own. He closed the door behind him and stripped to his underclothing. He then got into bed and fell asleep


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Bilbo woke to the sound of screaming and half intelligible curses. He hastily jumped from bed grabbing his knife and going next door. He stared at Thorin who was lost in the grip of a nightmare. Bilbo stared at the dwarf a moment, before calling out. "Thorin! Wake up!" He shouted, the dwarf didn't respond and Bilbo realized that with the noise Thorin was making, he wasn't going to wake up to the sound of Bilbo's voice alone. Bilbo hesitated a moment, before throwing the blanket over Thorin and jumping on top of him. He held Thorin down and shook him roughly, but it didn't seem to help. Finally he gently pulled on Thorin's braids. When that still didn't wake the dwarf he yanked on them. Thorin jerked upright and nearly smacked Bilbo on the forehead. Bilbo hastily backed up as Thorin stared at him, looking around wildly. "You were having a nightmare." Bilbo said and Thorin continued to stare at him, as his mind cleared from his dream.

"Thank you for waking me." Thorin said.

"Of course, you might have to do the same for me sometime."

"You have nightmares?" Thorin asked and Bilbo nodded.

"And a few scars, it's how I met Fili and how they lost their father and I lost my parents. I can't hear dogs howling without feeling fear." Bilbo shuddered.

"Vili was killed by dogs?"

"Wargs, I don't like to talk about it, luckily the boys don't remember much. They were in the wagon and they didn't see the bodies. Nor did they see their father's last stand against the wolves. When they were younger, they would sometimes wake up in the night, telling me of how they heard screams in their dreams. We would spend the night huddled in the bed, telling one another stories of our parents and families. As they grew and those memories grew dim I would remind them of what they told me." Bilbo smiled. "And when I had my own nightmares, they would crawl into bed beside me and snuggle up against me and the horror seemed not so close.

"Are you offering to hold me?" Thorin asked almost hopefully.

"That would not be respectable, we should most likely not be in the bedroom together, and however if you wished we could share stories. I don't think I would be able to sleep for a while anyway."

"I would like that." Thorin said and Bilbo smiled softly.

"I also find mint tea helps, perhaps one of your guards could go to the kitchen. Why didn't they wake you anyway?"

"They are to protect the royal household from external threats, they would not dare intrude upon a moment of such weakness."

"And if you require something afterward?"

"Then it would not be frowned upon, many warriors suffer nightmares." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded, he walked to the door and opened it, a guard stared at the hobbit that smiled at him.

"Could you get us two cups of mint tea?" Bilbo asked and the guard nodded, before bowing at the waist and knocking his hand against his heart twice in a solute. Bilbo smiled at the guard and closed the door behind him. He walked over to one of the black armchairs and watched as Thorin took the other one. "I suppose your fond of black and blue colors." Bilbo said and Thorin shrugged.

"My sister decorated, but blue is my favorite color. Black is my second favorite."

"Isn't a bit somber though?" Bilbo asked.

"It fits well, I myself am fairly somber, having lost all my immediate family apart from my sister, and I had little to take joy in, until you came into my life." Thorin said and Bilbo blushed.

"You do not know me." Bilbo protested.

"You have brought my nephews believed to be long dead back to us. You also have brought the second half of my soul to me." Thorin smiled then at Bilbo, who returned the smile.

A knock came at the door and Bilbo opened it smiling at the guard. "Thank you for the tea."

"It was no trouble, your grace." The guard replied and Bilbo took the cups from him, before setting them down on the table between the armchairs. The guard closed the door then and Thorin got up from the bed and walked over to one of the armchairs. Bilbo took the other and sipped at his tea, Bilbo sighed and curled his fingers around the mug. Thorin took up his own mug and sipped at it as well.

"I've haven't had mint tea very often, but it is very good." Thorin said and took another sip.

"What were you like as a child?" Bilbo asked.

"It depends upon who you ask." Thorin said and chuckled. "Dis would tell you different stories from Dwalin and Balin would tell you different tales yet."

"I think that's often the way with those that remember us as children." Bilbo said. "I have no siblings save my heartkin and so I don't know about having a sister, or a brother, but my cousins tell very different accounts of who I was as a child."

"And what were you like?" Thorin asked.

"You dodged my question and ask one in return." Bilbo said and Thorin laughed.

"I will tell you embarrassing stories of my childhood, if you return the favor."

"Very well, when I was very small, I thought my heartsign was an elf." Bilbo said and smiled at Thorin.

"You thought your One was an elf?"

"Yes and I would spend all day in the forest searching for them. I even had my mother make me some clothing in the elvan style. I wore them for ten years before I realized I was aging at a more rapid rate and that my heartsign could only be a dwarf. Still I learned Sidrian because of it and later taught it to Fili and Kili, so it wasn't all bad."

"I thought I would one day marry a dwarrowdam's, even insisted on learning gem cutting. However I was in my first year of apprenticeship when puberty struck with a vengeance. I realized suddenly that it wasn't going to be a lass I'd be lusting after any time soon and had to have a very embarrassing conversation with both my father and my jewelry crafting teacher about my sexuality." Thorin said and Bilbo laughed.

"I always knew, from the time I was a little boy. Though admittedly I didn't know the specifics, I knew that one day I would find someone who was not a member of my race and was decidedly male." Bilbo said and smiled. "Who was your first lover?" Bilbo asked.

"Lover?" Thorin demanded and Bilbo nodded. "I that is to say...I..."

"You haven't had one?" Bilbo demanded and Thorin blushed.

"I wanted to save myself, for my One."

"That's sweet, but you needn't have, I certainly didn't." Bilbo said.

"You slept with someone?"

"Several someone's that was of age and consenting."

"Not my nephews!" Thorin said and Bilbo felt slightly sick.

"Decidedly not, they are like brothers to me and not the higglylepiggledy kind of brothers!" Bilbo said. "I can't believe you even suggested that. If you must know I've slept with two hobbits, one elf and one dwarf."

"That many?"

"More like that few and most of them were relationships. I had two children to take care of, most young hobbits have many other dalliances it's perfectly natural."

"Natural? You were out at night carousing while my nephews were being watched by strangers."

"They weren't strangers, in any event sometimes my lovers stayed over. One was even one of Fili and Kili's teachers. I wanted to know what being with a dwarf was like, how I could please a dwarf and as for their teacher, he wanted to know what being with a hobbit was like. Our relationship was one of mutual desire and convenience and I learned many things from him, as he did from me. We were close, so very close, we nearly fell in love, before one day in the flower markets in Tooksburroh he saw him. I knew then that I would not be getting so close to another, not until I met my heartsign. They are very happy together and last spring they welcomed their first child into the world, a child they named Bilbo." Bilbo said and Thorin stared at him in shock.

"You said that he...that is your lover...saw his male heartsign...How can he be having a child."

"In the usual way."

"What is the usual way?"

"Surely you know that!" Bilbo protested.

"I know how dwarves get children, but it is our dwarrowdam's that bear them." Thorin stated. "Dwarrows are not capable of holding life within them."

"Well I am, Yavannah made our race very fertile and determined that it would be unfair for those that loved their same gender to be without children of their own. To that end she gave us some power over all growing things. Allowing us to grow beautiful gardens and families if we so wished. You erm cum inside me and if the seed takes and I do not take something to stunt its growth, within six months we would be fathers."

"You kill babes?"

"They aren't babes at that point, they would not be able to survive outside the womb. Sometimes we are not ready to have children and the seed quickens inside of us. There are then several remedies that can be used, some ensure that the seed will not even quicken, while others prevent them from continuing to grow."

"Such a thing would be anathema to dwarves. Every child is sacred, you must not destroy a life, if you are so blessed by the valar."

"That is nice in theory, but you will not be the one to carry those children to term. More over my mother was one of twelve children, I have no desire to have such a large family."

"Twelve?" Thorin demanded.

"It might even be dangerous for me to attempt, as pregnancy is not without its challenges." Bilbo said. "I'm not baring that many children, I don't even want children right away." Bilbo protested.

"Why wouldn't you want children?"

"I just raised my brothers, I'd rather not raise more children so quickly." Bilbo said.

"What does that have to do with our children?" Thorin demanded.

"Plenty, first of all I hardly know you, I'm not going to have a child with you until we know each other a dam sight better than we already do. Secondly it is my body and if I do not want to have children it's my decision. Thirdly you do not have a right to decide what I do or don't do, if I had relationships of my own before we even met, you don't get to be judgmental of me for doing so. I am my own person and I deserve to do as I desire, just as you do."

"So I can do as I wish and you would not get angry at me for doing so?"

"As long as you do not take liberties with my person, you can do anything you wish." Bilbo said.

"Then what if I wish to have a child."

"As I would be the one that would have to bare that child, no that is not something I would be alright with." Bilbo said.

"And if I were to have a child with another?"

"You wouldn't." Bilbo said and Thorin blushed.

"There have been those that have had others to bare their children, when their One is unable to." Thorin said and Bilbo glared at him.

"So either I lay with you, or you will lay with someone else? You have no right to make such ultimatums. If you think I would allow someone to carry on a relationship with someone else, while we are together, you are sorely mistaken."

"I want a child, you do not, it seems that it would be a suitable way for us to both have what we desire." Thorin said.

"Well you can desire it with someone else, I will not lay with you while you lay with another!"

"I thought you said you would not force me to do something I did not wish to. I do not wish to not have a child."

"Well I don't want to have one, not now I'm not ready to have one. Who do you think would care for it?"

"The nursemaids would care for it until it is old enough to attend lessons."

"You would have your child raised by other?" Bilbo demanded. "I could never allow others to care for my child, that is why I am not ready to have one. This conversation will go nowhere as we are both firm in what we desire and I don't see the point in arguing further. However if you lay with another, I will not continue a relationship with you."

"You would leave me, leave me to suffer without you. For my heart would break without you by my side."

"Then you will not lay with another." Bilbo stated and left the room. "Goodnight." Bilbo said firmly and went to his bed and threw himself upon it crying. Not knowing that in the other room Thorin was doing the same. He cried until he exhausted himself and fell asleep.

The next morning he awoke to the sound of someone banging on his door, red eyed he answered it and was greeted by a dwarf holding his clothes. "Your things will come later today." The dwarf said and Bilbo nodded.

"Thank you." Bilbo said and took the clothes; he hesitated as he started to change into them. He reopened the door. "Is there somewhere I might wash?"

"The bathroom is through there." One of the guards pointed to another door that Bilbo hadn't yet entered. Bilbo found the bathroom and set his things down and filled the bath with water. He removed his underclothes and settled into the water with a sigh, closing his eyes and leaning back as the bath filled. He turned off the taps once it was full and washed his hair. He had just finished rinsing it when someone opened the door. As his head was underwater, he didn't hear them come in and as the bath was large and the rim was above his head, he wasn't seen by them. A moment later Bilbo stood as he felt the water slosh and someone get into his bath. His eyes shot open and his gaze met with a mortified Thorin.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize you were here."

"The bath would not be full if I was."

"My guard sometimes fills the bath for me, I am sorry." Thorin said and Bilbo felt his hands go protectively to his shaft. His face was bright red. "I'll leave if you would just close your eyes.

"So improper, we're both naked!"

"That would be the point of a bath, wouldn't it?" Thorin said and Bilbo could tell that the dwarf was trying to hide his own embarrassment.

"I could just leave."

"I don't wish to interrupt your bath."

"I was almost finished, you just got here." Bilbo protested. "I'll go, just close your eyes." Bilbo said and Thorin frowned before his eyes closed. Bilbo moved up to get out of the water and stood on the edge when in his haste to get out of the bath, he forgot to mind his footing and slipped on the stone tile. A moment later he splashed back into the bath on top of Thorin. Bilbo blushed as he hastily left Thorin's lap, looking for the entire world like a scalded cat. "Terribly sorry, the floor was slippery." He said and stood, moving out of the bath and putting his towel around his waist he grabbed his clothes and stalked out of the bathroom, leaving a flustered, slightly bruised and hard Thorin behind him. Bilbo dried off and put on his clothes, before leaving his room. He walked to the dining hall and sat down in the chair next to Thorin's. The hall was practically full and Bilbo smiled at Fili and Kili. Fili seemed to not be quite awake and Bilbo smiled at him.

"I don't think anyone would mind if you had some tea." Bilbo said and Fili shook his head.

"I'll wait for Uncle to come." Fili said looking like he was considering putting his head on the table, but resisting because such behavior would be unfitting for a prince. Bilbo saw Thorin come to the dining room several minutes later. His hair was still wet, although he had braided it back, he nodded at Bilbo and sat down at the table. Within a few moments, people started serving food as others hurried into the dining room.

Bilbo served himself bacon, eggs and toast, before serving Fili his food and pouring some tea for him. Fili grunted in thanks and started to eat. Bilbo laughed and ruffled his hair, everyone stared at him and Bilbo blushed.

"I like it, its affectionate for hobbits, they do it to people younger than them." Kili explained and smiled at Bilbo, Bilbo returned the smile and returned to his breakfast. He finished and waited for everyone else to finish as well. Bilbo then went to their wagon and started settling furniture into both his rooms and his brothers. It took most of the day to put away everything except the bed and wagon. He stopped often to eat several meals, but despite that, exhaustion pulls at him by the end of the day. He walks to the dining hall and sits down heavily yawning.

"Tough day?" Thorin asked him and he nodded.

"Finished moving my furniture and other belongings."

"Some of the castle staff could have taken care of that?"

"What part of Erebor is the castle and what part is the common quarters."

"The partition is the large stone doors, though we keep those open most days. The royal quarters are shown by a series of tapestries and the common citizens know not to go beyond that point without permission." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded as the food started to be served. Bilbo drank some of the beer and started in on the food practically inhaling it. Several dwarves stared and continued to stare as he continued to eat; finally after his sixth helping he stopped. The food was good but served all at once, unlike the night before. Finally servants cleared away the plates and served desert. Bilbo ate some pie and Thorin stood after the last dwarf had finished eating. Bilbo dragged himself to his room and stripped down to his underclothes, before throwing himself on the bed and falling into a deep sleep


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Bilbo woke slowly to the sound of snoring in his ears and pounding on the door. He groaned and stiffened when he realized he was being held in someone's arms. He looked up and saw Thorin, the dwarf was deeply asleep and it seemed he might remain that way for some time. Bilbo frowned rubbing at his eyes with his fist, before attempting to remove himself from Thorin's arms, but the sleeping dwarf only tightened his grip until Bilbo relaxed. Even asleep Thorin was much stronger than Bilbo and Bilbo frowned, how had he gotten to Thorin's quarters? He had been tired the night before, from moving all his furniture, but he knew enough not to mistake his rooms for Thorin's. Even if he had, Thorin would have corrected that mistake.

"Awe you're so cute together." Kili said as he entered the room.

"What did you do?" Bilbo demanded.

"I thought you and Uncle would like to spend some time together, so I gave him a bit of the sleeping tonic, after he fell asleep and moved you to his bed. You were really out of it." Kili said with a laugh.

"Kili! How dare you, I'm nowhere near ready for such a thing."

"I wanted to help you and Uncle, this way neither one of you had nightmares and woke the other. You both needed sleep." Kili said.

"If I could move, don't think you're too old to scour pots!" Bilbo said.

"Promises, promises, see you later Uncle Bilbo, remember don't do anything I wouldn't." Kili said and winked at Bilbo, before leaving. Bilbo cursed as the guard kept pounding at the door, Bilbo wondered how long he would obey the order about not entering the royal apartment for. It was clear that Thorin wouldn't be waking anytime soon. Bilbo wondered how much of the potion Kili had given the dwarf, hopefully not as much as Bilbo himself took. With Bilbo's metabolism a potion that lasted all night for him would last much longer for a dwarf.

Bilbo frowned and moved his hand up to tug on Thorin's hair, Thorin didn't react at all to the touch and Bilbo glared at the dwarf. He tried tickling Thorin next, but either the dwarf wasn't ticklish or was too deeply asleep to feel it. He tried turning over, but Thorin would simply grunt and turn with him. He sighed and flipped to his side, he was still tired from the day before anyway and if he couldn't escape Thorin's grip, then he'd just sleep some more. At least the pounding had stopped it had been giving him a headache. Bilbo paused, realizing suddenly that he could call for the dwarves to help him get out of Thorin's grasp. He was about to do so, when Thorin moaned and started to rub his hips up against Bilbo's. Bilbo stiffened and tried to get away, but he was trapped and Thorin was having another dream about their coupling. Bilbo was in no way ready for such activities, he didn't even know Thorin all that well and he didn't like the dwarven king rubbing up against him. So instinctively he kicked back, kneeing the dwarf in the balls. Thorin let out a cry of pain, his eyes darting open as he released his grip on Bilbo to cup himself and turn in on himself. If Bilbo hadn't been so frightened, he would have been sympathetic, instead the hobbit quickly moved away and to his own quarters slamming the door shut behind him. It had been one thing to witness Thorin dreaming of them together, quite another to have Thorin rubbing up against him. He couldn't deny that the dwarf was extremely attractive but he was uncomfortable with what had just happened. For all it wasn't Thorin's fault.

Bilbo had reacted badly out of fear and he decided to check on Thorin. He went back to Thorin's room and stared at the dwarf who had fallen back to sleep still curled in on himself. Either that, or Thorin hadn't ever truly woken up in the first place. Bilbo looked at him a moment, hesitating, before he covered Thorin with a blanket and went back to his own quarters long enough to pull on one of his waistcoats and trousers. He then walked from his room, the guard staring at him.

"Sir Thorin has yet to leave the bedchamber and you did not respond to our knocks."

"I was tired, as for Thorin he took a sleeping potion that was much stronger than expected, I am not sure when he will wake up. I am going to search for a healer." Bilbo said and went to the dining hall, everyone was still waiting there and he smiled. "Thorin is indisposed, I was wondering if a healer could look at him?" Bilbo enquired to the nearly silent room, as Kili paled. Bilbo smiled at the older dwarf who stood from the table.

"I will help." He said setting aside an ear trumpet. "My name is Oin."

"Thank you." Bilbo said and the dwarf nodded, taking the ear trumpet with him, they walked back to Thorin's bedchamber together. Once they were inside Bilbo explained the situation. "I really don't know what's gotten into him, Kili wouldn't do something like this normally."

"I think the lad wants you both to be happy. He doesn't realize that you can't force a relationship; you have to let them develop over time. Now what was in that potion and what potency?" Oin asked and Bilbo replied. "He should be fine, he might not fully awaken until this evening or tomorrow however, that potion was very potent, why would you need such quantities?"

"I have a high metabolism, much higher than the other races, therefore I need more powerful tonics in order to fall asleep. If the boys need tonics I dilute them significantly." Bilbo replied and Oin nodded.

"He should be fine, I doubt there will be any lasting damage." Oin said and Bilbo nodded. "If something happens to Thorin in the future, would you come directly to me, rather than announcing it in the dining hall."

"Of course, I just was a bit scared." Bilbo said and ran a hand through his hair.

"There isn't anything I can do, you will just have to wait for him to wake. Call for me when he does." Oin said and Bilbo nodded. He stared at the sleeping dwarf a moment, before going to the door.

"I forgot to ask for some food."

"Of course, I will get your breakfast for you." The guard at the door said and Bilbo nodded. He pulled one of the armchairs over to beside Thorin's bed and looked for something to read. He was slightly concerned for the dwarf, but he knew that Thorin would most likely wake fairly soon. He read until his breakfast came, he then ate it and sent the plates back. He then continued reading, until Thorin groaned. Bilbo set aside his book, as Thorin's eyebrows creased and he muttered something unintelligible. Bilbo gently stroked Thorin's hair and the dwarf settled into a more peaceful slumber a few minutes later. Bilbo went back to his book, the story was one fairly familiar and told the story of Mahuel and Yavannah, and it had always been one of Bilbo's favorites however.

Lunch was brought in and Thorin muttered something, before his eyes opened slightly. "Why can't I wake up?" Thorin asked. "So sleepy, but I need the privy."

"I'll help you to the privy." Bilbo offered and Thorin nodded.

"Thank you." He said and Bilbo let Thorin lean on him as he staggered to the bathroom. Bilbo left Thorin on the toilet and left the room. He waited for several minutes, then for several more, before finally knocking on the door.

"Thorin?" Bilbo demanded, but got no reply. Bilbo hesitated a moment before opening the door and walking to the toilet, he closed his eyes and shook Thorin's shoulders firmly. Thorin let out a gasp as his hands came up to defend himself, before he realized it was Bilbo and his face colored. "You fell asleep again, I'll turn my back and wait for you to finish up." Bilbo offered.

"Thank you." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded, turning his back rather hurriedly. He heard Thorin shuffling behind him and Thorin's hand gripped his shoulder. "I'm dec-dece in clothes now." He said and Bilbo offered him his shoulder, as they walked back to the bed. Bilbo noticed the glazed look in Thorin's eyes and the way he wasn't really tracking anything.

"You should be alright soon, but I'll get Oin just in case."

"Don't go, send a guard, stay with me." Thorin asked and Bilbo nodded.

"I'll be in that armchair, now that tonic hasn't left your system yet completely, but you will be well again soon.

"What happened?" Thorin asked.

"I'll explain when you aren't feeling the effects anymore, you may not remember our conversation otherwise, now lie down before you fall down." Bilbo commanded and Thorin frowned.

"You're bossy." He murmured.

"Only when someone is being too stubborn for their own good." Bilbo replied. "Lie down now." Bilbo gently pushed on Thorin's shoulders and the dwarf fell back against the pillows.

"You are too..." Thorin trailed off, the last of his sentence ending in a snore. Bilbo smiled at the dwarf and gently moved the hair back from his face.

"Rest well." Bilbo said, when Thorin was sleeping, he wasn't so easy to dislike. Mostly because Bilbo couldn't help but draw comparisons between him and Kili. Bilbo then went to the door. "Could you get Oin, Thorin is fine, actually the tonic is wearing off somewhat."

"That's good news, I'll get Oin right away." One of the guards said and Bilbo closed the door, before going over to where his lunch was and eating his food. Oin came and Bilbo smiled at the dwarf.

"He woke up and was fairly coherent, though his eyes were glassy and he had trouble staying awake."

"Good, that's a good sign and to be expected, similar potions are sometimes used after battles, or in surgery, though I think yours was more potent than the ones we usually use. If you could give me the recipe, it might work better than the ones we currently are employing."

"I'd be glad to." Bilbo said and Oin nodded.

"Excellent, now I'll wake him for a short period and see if he can think somewhat clearly, that's always a good sign too."

"He accused me of being bossy and was fairly coherent, though possibly slightly loopy and he couldn't stay awake." Bilbo reported and Oin nodded, shaking Thorin's shoulder roughly. Thorin groaned, his eyebrows furrowing, before his eyes opened.

"Oin?" He asked sleepily. "Bilbo sent for you?" He asked and Oin nodded.

"There's no slurring of your words, now can you tell me about the first time I saw you for an injury?"

"Tripped on the stairs...You ban-banda-fixed up my knee, I didn't cry and you said I was brave." Thorin said and yawned. "I'm tired now, I'll be fine, you said."

"Yes I said that, but I need to test your reasoning skills, just to make sure that there won't be any ill effects."

"Test them later, sleepy." Thorin complained and his eyes closed. "Want to sleep." Bilbo frowned as Thorin caught his arm. "You smell nice." He said and Bilbo chuckled.

"Thank you, but could you let go of my arm Thorin?"

"No, I want cuddles." Thorin said and Bilbo frowned.

"Thorin let go of Bilbo's arm." Oin said.

"Don't want to, want cuddles." Thorin said Bilbo tried to get his arm released, but that only led to Thorin trying to hold on tighter.

"I'll cuddle you on top of the blankets until you fall asleep again, just let go of my arm."

"Then you'll leave again, want you to stay with me forever." Thorin said and Bilbo sighed.

"This isn't the way to go about it Thorin, if you want me to stay, then you should be nicer to me."

"I'm nice!" Thorin protested and Bilbo frowned at him.

"Is this being nice?" Bilbo asked and Thorin frowned, before shaking his head. "If you want to be nice, you'll let go of my arm." Bilbo stated and Thorin grudgingly released him.

"Do I get cuddles?" Thorin asked and Bilbo sighed.

"I'd call that more than a little loopy." Oin said and Bilbo could tell he was trying to hold back laughter. "I doubt you'll get much sense out of him now."

"He made more sense earlier." Bilbo protested. "He wasn't like this." He added.

"Perhaps he's more tired from resisting the effects, or perhaps you were doing what he wanted earlier. Thorin has always been obstinate when it comes to getting his way."

"I am not!" Thorin protested and Oin smiled.

"Well lad, give me a time when you haven't either pitched a fit, or drowned your sorrows when something didn't go your way." Oin said and was greeted with silence.

"After loosing **Dad**." Thorin replied and started to cry, Bilbo patted his hand.

"That was a hard day for all." Oin said and frowned. "But now you have your One and your heirs have been returned to us. There is much to celebrate." He said and Thorin cried harder, Bilbo was uncertain of what to do, so he did the only thing he could think of and gently stroked the dwarf's arms. However it was clear that nothing could break Thorin's mood and Oin gave up trying to get Thorin to stop crying, leaving Bilbo to hesitate a moment, before crawling into bed beside Thorin and wrapping his arms around the dwarf, humming a soothing song. Thorin relaxed against the touch and the sound of Bilbo's humming and soon fell back to sleep. Bilbo got off of the blankets slowly and Oin frowned.

"I've not seen Thorin cry like that since he was a dwarfling, the tonic most likely lowers emotional control, as well as inhibitions and some cognitive functioning, likely all of this is temporary, did you ever give the boys your tonic?"

"Once I gave them a fauntling dose, when they slept for a day and a half, I realized I needed to lessen the potency. They woke up like Thorin, for brief periods, though I didn't really run any tests on them. I just assumed that they would be alright. Thorin will be alright won't he?"

"I think that he'll be fine by tomorrow." Oin said. "Call me if he acts any differently."

"I will." Bilbo agreed and Oin left.

Bilbo returned to reading occasionally pausing as Thorin shifted in his sleep, but it seemed as though the dwarf was resting peacefully overall. Bilbo himself didn't often remember his dreams when he took the potion, but if Thorin's dreams had turned to nightmares, nothing of it showed on his face. Bilbo finished his book in the afternoon and started reading another one, before a dwarf knocked on the door to Thorin's chambers. Bilbo answered it and smiled when he saw the dwarf carrying in a large plate of food, and a tankard of what appeared to be broth. There was a further small pot and a small keg of ale as well.

"The healer Oin suggested that his majesty might want to try some broth and that he should not drink ale."

"As it might disagree with the tonic already in his system. Thank you." Bilbo said and smiled at the guard, before taking the food and drink and placing them on the bedside table. He was in the middle of his own meal when Thorin stirred.

"That smells good."

"Oin said that it would be best for you to have some broth, that way you won't fall asleep into your plate I imagine." Bilbo said and Thorin laughed.

"I will eat the broth then, it is in a tankard so it should be easy." Thorin said and took the tankard from the table and drank some of the contents with a sigh. "It is better than some meals I've had, but worse than others, you should eat too." Thorin said and Bilbo started eating his own food again, before pouring himself a tankard of ale.

"Oin suggested that you don't drink ale for now." Bilbo said and Thorin nodded.

"I don't mind if you drink near me." Thorin said and Bilbo smiled continuing to eat and drink. He noticed Thorin's tankard was empty and refilled it with the pot the guard had left. "I am still tired, but I feel much better than I did, I think I'll be able to stay awake for longer now."

"I would be glad of the company, though you shouldn't push yourself too hard." Bilbo said and downed another tankard of ale.

"Its truly impressive how much you can drink and still make sense." Thorin said and Bilbo shrugged.

"Its a quirk of my people, we need to eat much more than everyone else and it takes much longer for drink to effect us." He replied and frowned as he finished his plate. "In fact I may have to trouble the guards for more food."

"It is not a trouble for them, they are proud to serve the royal house and you as well. You are as good as my consort."

"It doesn't work like that for Hobbits, our Heartsigns do connect our lives with another person, but we recognize that a relationship needs time to develop, it can't happen overnight." Bilbo stated and Thorin frowned looking confused.

"You don't love me? But you said we were bound."

"Bound yes, you are my Heartsign, but that does not mean that I love you. For my people love takes time to grow between us and our Heartsigns, I know its not the same for yours."

"Then you know..."

"That you love me, have done from the first time you realized it, which I imagine was the first time you saw me, yes." Bilbo said and smiled at Thorin. "Still I can't help my feelings, I cannot be forced to feel for you, before I am ready to. I know too that it sometimes takes much longer for a dwarrow to realize their feelings and the connection of a One, but not always. I could have been the one who was waiting for you to be ready to engage in a relationship with me." Bilbo said. "Be patient, I believe that with time I will be able to return your feelings, but I need that time to know what I feel for you."

"But we are linked together, through this Heartsign?"

"Yes the Heartsign shows me who might be a good match for me."

"I thought your life was bound to mine."

"It isn't yet, for that to happen, I must choose you over my other potential matches." Bilbo said. "Sometimes there is just one, other times there are more than one. Regardless once I make my choice, my life becomes bound with theirs."

"You didn't explain it like that before." Thorin said and Bilbo took a long drink from his tankard of ale.

"Well it depends on the hobbit, more often than not, we choose to be with our first match, but if that one is considered unsuitable, before the binding, we can try to find another of our possible matches if we so choose."

"I thought you were like us, only having one match." Thorin protested and Bilbo shrugged.

"I have more than one possible match, in fact some even have chose to be with more than one of their matches at a time, if they wish for it and all are alright with such an arrangement."

"I do not share easily." Thorin stated and Bilbo shrugged.

"Neither do I, but things have a way of happening in ways you don't expect." Bilbo replied. "I think our lady realized that, as she realized that we would not be happy with but one choice for us to spend our days with. Mahuel knew the instant that he saw Yavannah that she would be his wife, but Yavannah took much longer to see Mahuel was to be her husband. Hobbits seldom do anything quickly and that includes giving our hearts to another."

"Mine is already yours, if you wish it." Thorin said and Bilbo took the dwarf's hand.

"You must not push me so, allow what is in our hearts to fully grow between us." Bilbo stated.

"You are my One! You will not be with another, I shall decree it so." Thorin said.

"You cannot control, nor make demands of me, you might be a king, but I'm from a long line of rulers myself and I will allow no one to determine my heart, but me." Bilbo said angrily, before turning on his heel and striding quickly from the room. He was angry with Thorin and with himself for believing that his Heartsign would be like the tales, that he would find them and find his happiness so easily. He glared at the ceiling, as he continued walking, angry at the world and wishing nothing more than to get thoroughly drunk and forget that anything had ever happened between himself and Thorin. He then realized that he didn't have his coin pouch and had to double back to his quarters to collect it and change into some street clothing. He felt furious at the world; He then walked back down the passageway and accidentally bumped into another dwarf. He gasped at the warmth around his heart and stared up into merry blue eyes, as well as a cap that seemed to resemble a donkey's ears.

"I am sorry." Bilbo said and the dwarf smiled in response.

"It is quite alright, I was going to go to bed myself, but if you would like some company, I'd be glad to give it. Thorin and I know each other well and he would wish you not to wander Erebor alone and risk having you get lost. I am Bofur." He said.

"Bilbo Baggins." Bilbo replied and walked beside the dwarf.

"Did you become angry at Thorin?"

"He's impossible, he makes demands of me and expects that I follow them. More over, he expects that his affections be instantly returned, when I am unable to do so."

"So you do not love him?" Bofur asked and Bilbo shook his head.

"Such things need time to grow, for hobbits at least, we do not love our Heartsigns instantly. For us it is that there is the possibility of the bond, though few seldom look beyond the first sign. Still to be bound for us is to be whole in a way that I can't imagine. I've heard about it in tales, but I have not experienced such a binding for myself as of yet and will not until I bind myself fully to the one I choose."

"So you have a choice, like men do?"

"Not a complete choice, as we would never be happy without one of our Heartsigns. Still we have something of a choice. Some have as many as a dozen Heartsigns to choose from, while others find only one and that is all they need. Usually we settle on one, but sometimes choose to have more than one, it all depends upon the hobbit and what they need to be happy." Bilbo said.

"For dwarves it is always only the One, we have One romantic love and no other can hold our hearts."

"What if such feelings are not returned?"

"Then we choose to pursue our crafts, or other interests. However it isn't often the case that the love is not returned, but sometimes that can occur. Those that cannot be with their Ones romantically, find other ways of being with them, more often than not sometimes an unrequited love can change into a close friendship, or some other bond. We seek to be near our ones, however possible." Bofur said and Bilbo nodded.

"Still it sounds hard, I wouldn't wish to hurt anyone."

"I believe you may do so regardless of your wishes, if you seek out another to try to bond with. To do so would suggest that you are not happy with Thorin."

"I feel that I should be able to make my own choice, in how my life goes." Bilbo said and Bofur shrugged.

"Who truly has a choice in how their life goes." Bofur said and they continued walking. "How do you like it here?"

"I like it well enough, I could see myself happy here perhaps, with time. Its just that it feels like I'm being given no option but to be with Thorin and that feels wrong to me. Although we cannot fully choose who we love, I would not be content with some choice. For all that I ask Thorin to be patient and tell him that I will come to love him in time, I do not know if I will ever feel anything for him."

"But you are his One and he is your Heartsign."

"For me that means only that the potential for a bond is there. I fear we'd spend most of our time together arguing, that is when he would have the time to spare for me. Hence the need for me to get drunk and forget about such matters for a time. Thank you for coming with me."

"It is my pleasure." Bofur replied and Bilbo smiled, together they came to within sight of the market and Bofur led Bilbo to an ale stall. Bilbo drank as much as the stall keeper would let him, before moving onto two further stalls, surprised at how he gathered a crowd.

"How many is that?" One dwarf demanded.

"Fifteen tankards or so."

"Eighteen." Bilbo replied and shook his head, as black spots appeared around his vision, he couldn't even remember why he'd become so drunk; his thoughts were all very fuzzy indeed. Bofur had drunk several tankards as well, though he didn't try to keep up with Bilbo, stopping at three at each of the stalls. Bilbo then stood and swayed on his feet, paying for his ale and trying to walk in a fairly strait line. Bofur put a hand to his shoulder.

"We can support each other, my quarters are close." He said and Bilbo nodded whistling a tune, as he tried to keep his feet. He felt better than he had since meeting Thorin, Bofur was much better company and much easier to get along with than Thorin would ever be. If nothing else Bilbo could enjoy his company. Bilbo smiled at the thought of that, talking with the affable dwarf for many nights ahead, even if they never had a true relationship, Bilbo had a feeling that he would be happy with the dwarf in his life. He was glad that he found Bofur and glad he could have someone to talk with so easily. Together they walked back to Bilbo's quarters.

"I'll help you with your clothes." Bofur offered and Bilbo grinned.

"You dwarves and your wanting everything to happen instantly." Bilbo said with a laugh and then his reasoning left him as he kissed Bofur on the lips. The dwarf turned red and then white.

"Bilbo what are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing, your the one who wanted to see me naked." Bilbo said and laughed.

"I didn't mean that, I meant only to unbutton your shirt." Bofur said. "I can't court the king's intended."

"I'm not anyone's intended and I'll be courting who I like thank you." Bilbo said and smiled at Bofur. "And I like you."

"But Thorin, why would you want to court me when you have him? It is unfair to him to even think of such a thing."

"You and him know each other, at any rate he can't demand that I love him and no other, even you dwarfs know that." Bilbo stated. "I like you, I also like Thorin, I should be allowed to make my own choices."

"But Bilbo, this isn't right."

"So you would rather me not even try with you?" Bilbo asked. "Is that it?"

"I do not love you, Thorin does." Bofur said and Bilbo shrugged.

"I don't love you, but I could with time and how do you know for certain?" Bilbo asked. "We've only known each other this night."

"I do not wish to fall in love with someone, who could never be mine." Bofur replied and Bilbo frowned.

"Why couldn't we be together, no one has the right to decide who another chooses to love."

"Then you would forsake Thorin, because of me?"

"I don't know." Bilbo said and frowned.

"If you don't know what you want, I ask you not to play with anyone's affections."

"I'm not playing with anything, I'm trying to find my heart bound and I don't want to be joined to someone I could grow to hate."

"You could wind up hating the one you bound yourself to?"

"Its happened sometimes, when people bond too hastily, that's why I need to make a choice and be certain of it. I do not wish to choose someone I will come to regret and cause us both great unhappiness."

"Once we love, we never fall out of love, I can see how it might be better for you to find someone you can be sure of being happy with, than to hate someone as they love you." Bofur said and Bilbo nodded.

"Precisely, I'm glad one of you has sense." He said and undid his buttons. "Thank you for tonight." He said, before pulling back the covers on the bed and falling into it. "Good night."

"Goodnight." Bofur replied and smiled softly when the hobbit started to snore. Bilbo was very opinionated and he had enjoyed his time with the hobbit. He knew that if he stayed by the hobbit, his heart would be lost to him, but he felt that perhaps it was worth it, to see Bilbo smile.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Bilbo awoke and groaned, his head felt like someone had taken a pickaxe to it. He remembered what had happened the night before, not the details, so much as the impressions. He remembered feeling happy and drinking a large amount of ale. He sat up in bed and went over to his closet, getting out a waistcoat, before he took a minor pain reliever and felt his headache lessen somewhat. He then walked next door and smiled when he saw the empty bed. Thorin was apparently recovered from the tonic. He then walked to the dining hall and sat down in his chair, people stared at him and Thorin seemed angry with him, as did Dwalin. Bilbo served himself some of the food and ate hungrily.

"Did you enjoy yourself last night?" Thorin demanded.

"I did, thank you, it was nice to get out." Bilbo replied.

"You went out when I was drugged to drink with someone who also has the potential to be your One, am I to understand that correctly."

"If you seek to control me, you will be very disappointed and yes I had a good time with Bofur. He doesn't try to control me, or force me to do what he wants." Bilbo stated and returned to his food.

"I don't try to control you, I just ask that you be with me." Thorin stated.

"I have the right to court my Heartsigns if I so desire, I have the right to choose who I am going to spend my life with. You do not have the right to force me to be with you and if you try you will only drive me further away."

"Thorin is the King! You cannot say such things to him." Dwalin said and Bilbo glared back at Dwalin.

"We don't have a monarchy and in any event I can't simply bond with Thorin because he wishes it. I must first feel love for him and know with certainty that he is the one I wish to bond my life with. I can't know that until I court my other Heartsigns. If I tried to bond us now, it would not work out well. I could well wind up hating him and causing us both to be miserable, while we are trapped in a bond that neither of us desire."

"I could never hate you." Thorin said.

"Perhaps that is true, but if we bonded prematurely, I could come to hate you, while you love me. It has happened before you know and I would not wish that upon anyone."

"Even one that you might come to hate?" Thorin demanded and Bilbo nodded.

"Yes, even you, for you would be just as trapped as I would. You need to realize that I won't give you everything you want, simply because you think your entitled to it. I am after all ,stubborn enough to raise Fili and Kili and hold my own. The boys have been back with you for two days and how well have you channeled their energy?"

"You didn't stop Kili from drugging me."

"Well even I can't stop him from doing pranks entirely. I don't try to control who they are, but rather let them be themselves as long as they agree to keep such things to a minimum. I believe the agreed upon amount was three a month, of course I'll have to think of something creative to get back at him." Bilbo said and shrugged as Dwalin and Thorin stared at him shocked. "I learned long ago that the best way to deal with the boy's mischief making is to respond in kind. Most of the pranks are harmless enough, but they know when they hurt one of us, the others have every right to respond in kind." Bilbo said with a smile.

"Just how old are you Bilbo?" Thorin asked and Bilbo grinned.

"Well I age like a dwarf would, I'm one hundred and seven."

"Your scarcely past your majority?" Thorin demanded scandalized.

"Yes and I've brought up my brothers just fine, that and growing up with people that matured more quickly than me has caused me to be mature for my age." Bilbo replied.

"How did you do it, when the boys went missing you must have only been..."

"I was fifty five and they were a handful once they recovered from the shock of everything. Those first years weren't easy for any of us, we all missed our parents terribly." Bilbo said.

"Then you..."

"Lost my parents when I was little more than a preteen in maturity yes. I had relatives looking in on me and the boys from time to time, but I've always been a respectable sort of hobbit and I knew what was expected of me."

"Expected of you?" Thorin asked and Bilbo nodded.

"Of course I still had to get an education, I still was taught by my relatives in diplomacy, as well as fighting tactics and agricultural studies. My father didn't want me to learn how to fight, but after what happened to my parents and with two small boys to protect, I didn't have much of a choice. I became proficient in both the fighting styles of my people and later I learned how to sword fight from the same dwarf that taught the boys. The boys learned both styles as best they could, dwarves bodies aren't designed for hobbit fighting."

"I can fight a dam sight better than you." Dwalin said and Bilbo chuckled.

"You don't have the speed for it, though you seem like a capable warrior." Bilbo said. "How about a bit of a sparing match."

"I wouldn't want to hurt you." Dwalin protested.

"Oh you won't hurt me, who makes the other fall first wins."

"I thought you didn't like to touch others."

"I don't, but your cousin called into question my abilities, no one would take that well." Bilbo replied and nodded at Dwalin. "Shall we begin then?"

"When you wish." Dwalin said and Bilbo nodded, they stood close to each other waiting for the other to make the first move. "You shouldn't wait for so long." Dwalin stated.

"Well I prefer to have the person I'm fighting to attack me, but if you wish me to attack first, I'll be happy to oblige." Bilbo said and gave a grin that seemed different from the way he usually smiled, this one seemed almost predatory. Dwalin stared at Bilbo as he darted forward, almost to fast for Dwalin to dodge and leapt backward equally as fast as Dwalin tried to land a blow. Bilbo was too fast, his feet surprisingly powerful and his body graceful, to Thorin who watched the match, Bilbo almost looked like he was dancing around and Dwalin's movements were clumsy in comparison. Occasionally he'd strike out at Dwalin, though the dwarf was able to dodge for a time, Bilbo successfully delivered a blow to his knees that sent him onto the ground. Pressing his advantage Bilbo crawled on top of the dwarrow, however as soon as he touched his wrists both froze, and warmth spread through Bilbo showing him that Dwalin was one of his Heartsigns. They stared at each other in awe both panting and slightly out of breath.

"May I kiss you?" Dwalin asked suddenly and Bilbo smiled lowering his lips to the captured dwarrow. Dwalin's kiss was fierce and possessive and Bilbo moaned a bit at the taste and feel of him, his hips rocked slightly making both males groan as Bilbo felt Dwalin harden beneath him, he suddenly remembered himself and blushed. He was in the middle of a crowded dining room and dwarves were staring at him, not least of all his brothers.

He came to his feet and offered his hand to Dwalin who stared up from the floor a moment more, before taking it, almost reverently. "Will you court me as well as my cousin then and decide who is to be yours?" Dwalin asked and Bilbo nodded. "I am sorry Thorin, but he is my One as well."

"How can this be?" Thorin demanded and Dwalin frowned.

"I do not know cousin, but I know that I will not simply allow him to be yours. If you feel that banishment is necessary for coveting your One, I can understand that, however he is my One as well and I will be courting him."

Thorin stared at Dwalin in shock as Bilbo smiled at the large dwarf. "Thank you for giving me a choice in where my heart belongs." Bilbo said and smiled up at Dwalin who stared down at the hobbit, a tender look in his eyes, as Bilbo's stomach rumbled.

"We should break our fast, but afterwards I want you to teach me how you move like that." Dwalin said and Bilbo laughed.

"Gladly, though the boys couldn't move as quickly, they still learned several different ways of punching and taking down a target. They wound up preferring dwarves styles to the more subtitle hobbit arts of defense." Bilbo said and smiled at Dwalin. "Now I am very hungry, why don't we go back to our meal and then I can give you a lesson afterwards?" Bilbo asked hopefully.

"That sounds great to me, perhaps you might come and watch the morning drills. I'm training some fifty-year-old Dwarrows who are looking to go into guard service once they come of age. Would you be interested in learning some dwarves training drills?"

"I already know a few, I had the boys' teacher teach me things as well." Bilbo said with a grin, blushing somewhat. "But I would be glad to learn something new." He added looking the warrior up and down assessing as he smiled at Dwalin who stared back at him a moment, a blush covering his face from cheeks to forehead.

"I look forward to teaching and learning from you as well Bilbo." Dwalin stated and the hobbit looked pleased, before returning to his plate. He waved cheerfully at Bofur who was slumped over his own food looking slightly miserable. Bilbo gestured towards a servant.

"I need a small bag, it should be in the second to the left top hand drawer of my dresser." He told the servant and the servant nodded, running off on his errand and returning with a large bag that clinked as he set it down. "Thank you." Bilbo said, rummaging through his bag and pulling out a hangover remedy, he handed it to the servant and instructed the dwarf to give it to Bofur. Bofur stared at the bottle in surprise, before he downed it wincing at the taste somewhat, but looking better for the tonic.

"What's in there?" Dwalin asked and Bilbo smiled.

"A range of tonics, I learned to brew several different ones as I had the boys and myself to take care of. I grew to like the process in fact." Bilbo replied.

"You are skilled at healing, fighting and traveling to far off lands, what else are you good at? What else do you enjoy?"

"I love to cook, particularly baking and I'm fond of reading as well." Bilbo said and took a sip of his tea. "And what of you Dwalin?"

"I like fighting, I was trained to be a warrior since I was very young. I also enjoy dancing and singing when I'm drunk enough."

"He has a good voice." Thorin added trying not to sound upset. "I am fairly good at diplomacy, fighting and ruling, I also enjoy blacksmithing and reading when I have the opportunity which is seldom."

"I know how busy you are, I understand well the burden of governance." Bilbo stated. "I was born into a family who has served in our governing body for generations. Even after we did away with our ruling class, those from my family were always chosen to be Thrain, which is the hobbit equivalent of a king. The boys learned about governance as they were considered my adoptive brothers and treated as such." Bilbo said and smiled at Fili and Kili fondly. He then returned to his own meal, eating as quickly as he could, as to not keep everyone else waiting. After his seventh helping he set aside his knife and fork and nodded to Thorin who stood, the others dwarves following his example.

Bilbo stood as well and went over to Dwalin. "Should we go now?" Bilbo asked and Dwalin nodded, Bilbo smiled and walked beside the dwarf to the training grounds. He stared at the two hundred or so Dwarrows, who were each waiting in groups of twenty or thirty. They ranged in ages from what seemed to be fifteen, to Dwarrows that were as old or slightly older than Fili and Kili. Dwalin led him over to one of the older groups and started barking orders, sending the young Dwarrows through a warm up. Bilbo smiled as the young men obeyed Dwalin and the dwarf seemed to be highly enjoying himself. He looked to be in his element surrounded by the young recruits.

Bilbo watched the drills with fascination, sometimes Dwalin would walk up to a recruit and correct their posture, when they were doing push ups and sits up. Finally Dwalin seemed pleased enough with those and lead the Dwarrows through an obstacle course that had been set up behind them. " **MOVE YOU YOUNGLINGS, ARE YOU HALF GROWN DWARROWS OR ARE YE BABES SUCKLING AT YOUR MOTHER'S TEATS?** " Dwalin demanded and the dwarves went through the obstacle course several times, as Dwalin barked at them and called them dwarfling. That sped up the Dwarrows, giving them the motivation they needed. Bilbo even chuckled at a few of Dwalin's insults, finding them to be slightly amusing. The obstacle course itself wasn't much different than the ones he'd gone through as a tween with his Took cousins and it looked like fun. He ran towards it and then waited in line with the other Dwarrows laughing when it came to be his turn and crossing the obstacles fairly easily. He most enjoyed the climbing wall, though the hurdles and crawling tunnels were fun as well. He got through the course and on the other side, before he realized that he'd lost one of his buttons in the process.

"That is one of the fastest times I've ever seen, did you watch Bilbo, because that's how its done." Dwalin stated, as Bilbo smiled at the dwarrow, before looking back to the new recruits.

"I seem to have lost one of my buttons, if you find it in the course, I'd be glad to have it back." Bilbo said and was soon given his button. He smiled at the young dwarrow. "Thank you lad, what's your name?"

"Jorn, son of Norn son of Fiorn." The young man replied and snapped a solute. "It was my honor to see it returned to you, your grace."

"Thank you all the same." Bilbo said and smiled at the young man who blushed slightly at the praise and returned to the line of other Dwarrows. Bilbo watched the drills for a while more, hesitating a moment before taking off his waistcoat and putting it on a wall across the training field which held several different garments. He smiled and started back, looking at the different drills as he went. What interested him the most were the hand-to-hand drills, as there wasn't any finesse to them. It was just punching and kicking. While the Dwarrows were excellent at fighting with any other weapon, it was clear that their skills were limited when it came to hand to hand combat, something that hobbit defense focused on, in addition to weapons training. However when it came to weapons training it was clear that Dwarrows were superior at that. Bilbo couldn't resist stopping by one of the youngest groups, smiling as little feet tried to follow the drills, punching and kicking the air was much more adorable at that age. He noticed that several of the boys had hand positioning that was wrong and turned to the instructor. "His grip is off." He said pointing to the child who would have injured himself if he actually punched anything.

"At this age, we teach them the basics, proper stances and finger positions come later on."

"Seems like an odd way to go about it, but you know more than I about training young Dwarrows. Still it would surely be easier to teach them how to do it the right way, before they have to relearn their grips."

"If you know so much, why don't you show me how you'd teach them."

"Well I could give them a basic lesson that fauntlings their age learn if you wish." Bilbo said and smiled at the instructor. "I wouldn't want to intrude on your lesson."

"Oh I'm sure it will be most informative." The instructor said. "Go ahead and see to them." He added and Bilbo nodded, going first to the boy he'd spotted earlier and holding up his hands.

"Can you copy the way my fingers are lad?" Bilbo asked and the boy eyed his hands, before nodding, copying Bilbo's fingers. Bilbo smiled at the child and looked around, frowning when he didn't see any padded gloves. "Where are the padded gloves?"

"What are those?" The instructor asked.

"They are gloves with padding sewn in, so young lads can get a feel for striking." Bilbo replied and smiled. "We have them try to strike the palm of the hand, so they understand what punching feels like." He said and frowned when he saw no one was using any sort of padding for fall drills. Falling on the wooden floor must hurt and from what he could tell of the exercises going on around them, fall drills didn't seem to practiced all that much and it was only the older students doing so. "I suppose my own hands will do just as well in this case." He said and began instructing the boy how to aim a proper punch and follow through with it, getting him used to the feel of punching his hand. "Good your doing much better now, now can everyone see what this lad is doing, watch how his elbow gives his punch the force it needs, while his other hand defends his face." Bilbo told the other students and smiled at the young Dwarrows. He watched as they copied the dwarfling's movements and Bilbo went around correcting their finger holds and follow through where he saw error. He let them just punch the air for several minutes, before he nodded. "Very good, now lets focus on your legs, stand with your legs forward and slightly bent, like me." Bilbo instructed showing them the first stance that fauntlings learned. "This is first position, notice how my left arm and leg are back? Very good, you all have it. Second position is where my left arm and leg go forward and I follow through by sending my elbow forward like this." Bilbo demonstrated and smiled at the dwarfling. "Now for third position, take a step forward and follow through with your right arm." Bilbo said and the dwarfling did as he asked. "Good now First!" Bilbo called out. "Second!" He followed up after everyone had completed the first position. "First!" He cried out again and again, until the front row was close to him. "Very good, now turn around." He instructed, before backing up to the edge of where this part of the drill was being held. He continued to instruct them, calling out first and second position, as they made his way towards him, he had to correct stances occasionally but they learned fairly quickly over all. "Very good turn around again. He said and smiled as the dwarfling did as he asked, he then walked back to the edge of the part of the yard his group had again and smiled at the dwarfling. "Now for a change of positions, this is the second drill, what we just practiced was the first drill." Bilbo said.

"Make sure your spread out fairly well and have plenty of space for this one, now first position is the same as before, but for second position I want to sweep your right leg around and to the front like this." He demonstrated the movement very slowly, so the dwarfling could understand it fully. He smiled as they tried to do it and one little boy obviously was trying to hold back laughter. They all did look rather funny.

"Aren't they a bit young for leg sweeps?"

"Its the first thing young fauntlings are taught, after how to throw a punch, when someone's bigger than you, you should get them on the ground and run away that way you can fight someone when your big and strong like your adads." Bilbo stated and the teacher looked on in disapproval.

"They are being taught how to fight, not how to run from battle."

"Knowing when to run is just as much a part of fighting as anything else, we also teach our children how to break someone's grip and how to escape someone's hold, I'd wager that I'm better at hand to hand fighting than you are, you stated that you wanted me to teach them for a bit and that's what I'm doing, if you have a problem with it, or with me, I'll be too happy to demonstrate." Bilbo stated and the teacher looked alarmed, clearly not wishing to harm his king's one.

"I don't wish to see you hurt."

"Oh you won't hurt me." Bilbo stated and before the teacher could react, Bilbo clocked him in the chest, jumping back before the dwarf could register what had happened fully, the dwarf attacked him as well, although he was better at hand to hand than Dwalin, he was no match for Bilbo's own hand to hand combat moves. Soon he had the dwarrow winded. "This is how you make someone fall that's bigger than you." Bilbo swiped the teacher's leg out from under him and glared down at the dwarrow. "If you offer to let someone help, next time mean it." He stated. "And don't go criticizing other's methods, everyone has something to offer."

"I am sorry I offended you, how did you learn to fight like that?"

"Using your body against you, judging when to attack and when to retreat, when to defend and when to strike." Bilbo replied. "Simple enough combat techniques." Bilbo said and offered his hand, the dwarf accepted it and Bilbo smiled at him.

"Would you teach me as well?"

"I'm sure you know most of what I do already, its just a matter of knowing when to strike and how hard, I was a bit angry at you, but I was also only proving a point, so you might have a few bruises, but no more than from an ordinary sparing match. Some things I can't teach you, hobbits are naturally stronger and faster than Dwarrows in our legs for example and our fighting style uses the force behind our feet to carry through blows, but I've never actually been in a fight where I've had to kick someone full force. If I did, I could possibly break someone's ribs or injure other organs and even in a gentleman's disagreement, such force isn't to be implemented."

Bilbo realized suddenly that several people were staring at him, including Dwalin who looked very pleased with Bilbo who smiled at him in return. "As most of you seem to be watching anyway, I could give you a brief instruction on some hobbit tactics and foot work." Bilbo offered and smiled, several of the other teachers came over and Bilbo showed them the first three movements, making sure they got it right, before allowing them to return and instruct their own fighting groups. Bilbo smiled, showing the man he'd knocked to the ground the first four stances himself, leaving him to instruct the dwarfling. He then saw a staff hanging on one of the wall and decided to do some staff dancing himself, it always cleared his head and helped him center himself.

He swung the broomstick down, before spinning it between his hands, getting lost in the breathing and the motions for a while feeling the way the staff spun in his hand, before progressing through a series of staff drills. He was slightly sweaty by the end of them and so he got some water for himself and handed a cup to Dwalin, who was instructing his own class. Bilbo nodded his approval, before going back to the center of the training hall, after everyone got some water, he returned to instructing them. "Now for fourth through sixth movement."

"Can you teach us what you were doing with the staff?" One of the younger Dwarrows asked. "It looks like fun." Bilbo grinned at the child, as his instructor glared at him.

"Staff work is fun and you can practice with a broom at home, as long as you don't damage it. Your Amads won't be very happy with you if your hurt their broomsticks after all." Bilbo said and several of the boys and dwarrow laughed at that. "Maybe if we have time after everyone understands the eighth movement, but you need to understand that what I do when I practice the staff takes years to complete properly. Its like any other weapon, its most similar to sword work in fact, but it has its own unique style." Bilbo added and smiled, he'd always enjoyed teaching others and sharing knowledge with them. He showed the instructors the fourth through sixth movements, before noticing that half the Dwarrows had their shirts off. His own instructors had allowed the boys to take their shirts off if they wished and his own shirt was sweaty from working with his staff. He took it off and wiped his face with it, before braiding back his hair again and tying it back with a piece of cord once more.

He then started working with his stick instinctively falling into a pattern, going down on one knee and then up again, twisting and turning around in circles. He smiled as he worked through the motions of the familiar exercises, before he took a drink from the water barrel and used the cup to wet his face before wiping at it and returning to the middle of the training ground. When the other instructors came up this time Bilbo smiled at them.

"Would you rather practice rolls, or continue with the hand and feet movements." Bilbo asked and most wanted to continue with the hand-to-hand movements. Bilbo realized that they were right and if he were to continue instructing others, it would take several weeks for them to be ready for falls. "Would it be better if I stopped showing you drills at lunch and you can go back to what you ordinarily teach?"

"We would all prefer to learn new tactics, if your willing to spend the day in the training halls."

"I have no problem with doing so." Bilbo replied and smiled. "I didn't have much planned for the day at any rate."

"But you will most likely be busy with other tasks soon, as Dwalin can only instruct a few days every week, it is fine for you to only be able to do the same. We understand that you have concerns that we do not share."

"Thank you for considering me, but in all honesty I haven't yet figured out what I'm going to do now." Bilbo said and smiled at the Dwarrows. "Most of the last few years, I've devoted to Prince Fili and Prince Kili, but now that they are grown and with their family once more, I'll have to discover new ways of occupying myself. I enjoy teaching and I would not mind giving you instructions in how hobbits defend themselves from time to time, but I wouldn't want to interrupt your own training."

"Do not worry about it, we can also instruct our students in other dwarves tactics and weaponry, however your fighting style is most remarkable. Not many could take down Jiran."

"No one had been able to take me to the ground in the last thirty years, until you managed it. I lost my feet and my heart to you in the very same moment." Dwalin said and Bilbo smiled at the big warrior, feeling his face heat with more than just exertion.

"You did very well yourself." Bilbo said and nodded. "If you all wish to learn more tactics, I could teach you more until lunch and then you could resume your normal schedule." Bilbo said and smiled at the instructors, before going through the next set of drills. "If you find the pace is too fast for the younger students, slow it down accordingly." Bilbo instructed, before going over to the water barrel and drinking deeply. The practice continued much in the same way it had before, Bilbo practicing his own drills and watching the others, occasionally telling them a new drill or walking around them to make sure that their form was correct. Before he knew it the bell toll told everyone it was time for lunch. Bilbo put his shirt back on, as well as his waistcoat and waited for Dwalin, before going back to the dining hall.

"Did you spar with anyone Bilbo?" Fili asked taking in Bilbo's slightly disheveled appearance.

"Yes and I taught them a few hobbit drills as well." Bilbo said and smiled piling his plate high with food and drinking several more glasses of water, before starting to eat. "Thorin what's your favorite dessert?"

"I like apple pie best, why?" Thorin asked and Bilbo smiled.

"One hobbit courting tradition is to make sweets for our Heartsigns, it is supposed to signal the sweet things to come in our relationship." Bilbo replied. "What about you Dwalin?"

"Anything with chocolate in it." Dwalin said and Bilbo smiled.

"I like chocolate as well." He said and sent a servant down the table to ask Bofur, who wanted vanilla cupcakes. Bilbo smiled. "Do you know if there is anywhere I can bake?"

"You have a kitchen as part of your suite of rooms." Thorin said and Bilbo grinned.

"Really?"

"Yes of course, as well as a nursery, study and living room, have you not been outside your bedchamber?"

"I've not had the time." Bilbo replied and grinned. "I'll go to the market and pick up what I need after lunch." Bilbo said and smiled at the thought of baking again. He finished eating and Thorin stood shortly after, Bilbo walked out the hall and down to the markets, adding ingredients to his cart, none of his Heartsigns had asked for anything complicated, but he had the most free rein with what Dwalin had asked for. After some consideration he decided to make a chocolate torte with caramel sauce for Dwalin and his grandmother's famous caramel apple pie for Thorin. As for Bofur he'd make vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting and bacon bits. He'd noticed how fond Bofur was of bacon and smiled at the thought of surprising the dwarf. He got everything he needed and then preceded to bake for the rest of the afternoon, finishing right before dinner. He smiled as he finished icing the cupcakes and stacking them into a tin he found with several clasps on it for keeping things, he then stacked the chocolate torte on top of it and took the pie in his other hand making his way to the dining hall. He set the deserts down and presented each to his mates in turn.

"Thank you Bilbo, this looks very good." Dwalin said and Bilbo smiled at the dwarf, before returning to his seat.

"Did you make anything for us Bilbo?" Fili asked and Bilbo frowned.

"If you wanted something, you should have asked." Bilbo stated. "I was busy baking courting gifts and I wouldn't have had time today, but you know I'll make you something if you want me to." That was after all to some extent how hobbits showed love, by cooking for those they cared for and providing for them.

"Can you make some blackberry pie, the season is almost over and I'd like some, before there isn't any blackberries left." Fili asked and Bilbo chuckled, Fili had a great fondness for blackberries and every summer in the shire when they'd been growing up, their hands had all been stained with blackberry juice.

"I'll be glad to and what would you like Kili?" Bilbo asked

"I'd like blackberry pie too, or something with chocolate in it." Kili said and Bilbo nodded.

"I make you some sometime as well." Bilbo said feeling very happy.

"Would you like to have a drinking contest in your quarters after dinner?" Dwalin asked and Bilbo smiled.

"I'd enjoy that, would you like to join as well Thorin?" Bilbo asked and Thorin looked down at his plate a moment, before he squared his shoulders.

"I would, are you going to invite Bofur as well?"

"If he wants to, he might not after last night." Bilbo said and sent a servant to ask Bofur, to his surprise Bofur agreed to the contest and smiled at him from down the table. Bilbo saw that he'd already opened his tin and was several cupcakes into it, his food forgotten. Thorin and Dwalin seemed to show more restraint but after finishing his first portion, Dwalin cut himself a slice of the cake and moaned in delight at the taste. Bilbo blushed as his blood stirred somewhat in response to the noises Dwalin was making as he enjoyed a bite of his dessert.

"This is the best chocolate torte I've ever had."

"Really let me have a taste then." Balin said. "If that's alright?"

"Its his torte, he can share it if he likes." Bilbo said and smiled at Dwalin, who cut a slice for his brother and Balin sighed as he tasted it.

"You are a excellent baker, better than some of the kitchen staff." Balin complemented and Thorin couldn't resist any longer, he cut a slice of his apple pie and chewed slowly savoring the bite.

"This is the best apple pie I've ever had." Thorin said and passed a slice to Dwalin. "Here try some."

"Only if you try some of my torte." Dwalin said and Bilbo smiled. Bilbo was surprised when Dwalin and Thorin offered him a piece but delighted. "Did you make anything else?" Dwalin asked and Bilbo shook his head. "It took long enough to make the caramel sauce and with that and mixing everything together, I didn't have time for anything else." Bilbo said and smiled at he took a bite of the chocolate cake. They finished eating the desserts, Bilbo felt pleased when neither Dwalin nor Thorin shared with anyone else and Bofur looked almost possessive of his cupcakes. Finally Thorin stood and they walked to Bilbo's rooms together. They sat together in Bilbo's study and opened keg of ale, a servant had brought an additional keg and Bilbo had insisted on somewhere soft, in case one or more of his Heartsigns passed out.

"I'm warning you my tolerance is higher than yours, so maybe I should drink six ales before you in order to make it a bit more even." Bilbo offered and the others argued with him, before he agreed to chugging four ales in quick succession. Then they started drinking, Bilbo smiled at his Heartsigns, before speaking. "Do you want to play drinking games, as we have this contest, or just drink?"

"Drinking games at first, then lets just drink." Bofur suggested and Bilbo nodded.

"How about I've done, have you played that game?" Bilbo asked.

"How do you play?" Bofur asked

"You say I've done this, or I've done that and whoever hasn't done it has to drink." Bilbo stated.

"That sounds like fun, can I go first?" Bofur asked and Bilbo nodded. "I've danced on a table." Thorin took a drink.

"I've killed someone." Thorin stated and Bilbo was the only one to drink.

"I've won a fight." Dwalin said and no one drank.

"I've kissed a lass." Bilbo said.

"What when? As we're all male, I thought you liked only males." Dwalin asked and Bilbo laughed as everyone took a drink.

"When I was twenty five and the lass were dared to do it. I didn't mind though, its considered a bit of harmless fun in the Shire."

"I've slept with a goat."

"How did you wind up sleeping with a goat?" Dwalin demanded.

"I got drunk one night and didn't realize that I was turning into the stables, rather than the inn I was staying in." Bofur said.

"I've been crowned king." Thorin said and smirked as everyone drank.

"I've become a member of the royal guard." Dwalin said and Bilbo smiled.

"I've carried a cat out of a tree." Bilbo said.

"I've worn a dress." Bofur said and Dwalin and Thorin both drank.

"Now when did either of you wear dresses?"

"I wore them as a baby and I still wear a nightshirt to bed. My mother found it easier to change me, if I wore a dress." Bilbo replied.

"I wore one because my brother dared me to once." Bofur replied. "Perhaps we should play something else?"

"I would be alright with that." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded.

"How about a dice game?" Dwalin suggested.

"I don't have dice though." Bilbo said

"I have some in my quarters, I'll get them and be back real quick and we'll teach you one of the simpler games." Thorin offered and Bilbo nodded, he relaxed back in one of the armchairs and smiled.

"Do either of you smoke?" Bilbo asked suddenly.

"Thorin does, but I stopped after it started to make it harder for me to do morning drills."

"I like to smoke too." Bofur said and Bilbo smiled.

"Well what's grown in the Shire is slightly different than most tobacco, it clouds the mind and makes you feel happy, but some prefer to not smell it."

"Do you want to smoke some of this plant?" Bofur asked and Bilbo shrugged.

"I was thinking of it, sometimes I used to get together with other hobbits in the green dragon inn and play cards, not all that often though. Smoking always helped relieve the tension of the day somewhat."

"I would not have any, but I'm not against you smoking if you wish." Dwalin assured and Bilbo nodded, going into his bedroom and taking out one of several boxes of longbottom leaf he'd stashed, as well as his pipe.

He then returned to the study and smiled as Thorin arrived at the same time he did. Bilbo took some of the already powdered herb from his bag and filled his pipe before lighting it.

"What are you smoking? The smell isn't unpleasant." Thorin asked.

"Longbottom leaf." Bilbo replied taking a long drag from his pipe. "Would you like to try it?"

"I would thank you." Thorin said and Bilbo passed him the pipe.

"I would suggest that you inhale only once, if this is your first time trying it." Bilbo suggested and Thorin did as he said. Bilbo took the pipe back and Thorin sat in his own chair, bringing out several cups filled with dice.

"Now this is a bluffing game, you roll your dice in the cup and either take a wager, or claim the amount of 3's you have, as an example. I could say three threes, though this is a rather simple version." Dwalin explained, as he laid out several stones, giving Bilbo a green colored set. He gave Thorin a blue colored set, himself a red colored set and Bofur a purple colored set. "Whoever has collected the most stones by the end wins the game."

"Why the different colors?" Bilbo asked

"Its used for betting for the most part, sometimes people wager small favors, while at others people wager gold."

"Wagering favors sounds interesting, so whoever has the most gets to ask favors of the others?" Bilbo asked and Thorin nodded.

"Aye, but those that loose keep the favors as well." Thorin said and Bilbo smiled, he wouldn't mind his Heartsigns asking him for small favors and he found the game to be interesting.

"Would you like to wager for favors then, it sounds a bit more fun than wagering for gold."

"I would be fine with that." Thorin said and the other two dwarfs agreed. "You'll go last Bilbo and you'll see how the game is played, remember however that everyone can bluff as well. You don't want to be called on something, if its too high of a number. The number claimed each time increases, until someone calls another player's bluff. Or all three other players forgo a round, but if you forgo more than three rounds your out of the game."

"Sounds like fun." Bilbo said and shook his cup, placing it face down in front of him and setting his beer down on the table as well.

"It is and we could drink after each claim, or after each round."

"After each claim would be better, my cousin wants me to help with his inventory tomorrow." Bofur said and the others nodded.

"Can you still do that, while you have a hangover though?"

"I don't like hangovers, but its worse to be over tired, I would prefer not to stay up until morning playing, if that's alright with the rest of you."

"Aye it is." Dwalin said and smiled. "I have training duty tomorrow myself." He added and Bilbo nodded.

"Well then I'll start, two twos." Thorin said and Dwalin smiled.

"Five twos." He said adding his own stone.

"Six threes." Bofur called out and Bilbo looked at his own cup, of the six dice he had three fours and the likelihood of the others having at least four was high.

"Seven fours." Bilbo said and added his own stone to the pile.

" **Your treasure is too big.** " Bofur called out in Khudzul and Bilbo revealed his dice, as everyone else did as well, there were in fact eight fours on the table, between everyone and Bilbo smiled.

"Now what happens?"

"Because you won, you get the pile and you get to start off the next round." Dwalin said and Bilbo smiled. He rolled his dice in his cup and raised an eyebrow, before hastily putting in his stone

"Four fives." Bilbo stated, even though he didn't even have one and the others looked surprised, but seemed hesitant to call him on it.

"Six threes." Thorin claimed.

"Seven fives." Bofur said.

" **Your treasure is too big."** Bilbo said and everyone revealed what they had, indeed there were only three fives on the table.

"You tricks little bunny." Bofur accused and Bilbo laughed.

"Why does everyone refer to us as rabbits, honestly." He said and play resumed. He highly enjoyed the game, bluffing games had always been his favorite and he'd often played them with his cousins and adoptive brothers growing up. The evening wore on and Bilbo lost some rounds, but he won a good deal more than he lost, particularly after the ninth pint or so.

"How do you play this game so well?" Dwalin demanded.

"While I've never played this game before, I've played others like it. You should be able to recognize other's tells, if your going into business, or bartering a trade deal." Bilbo stated. "The trick is to change them up and keep your adversary on their toes. Hobbits are very fond of bartering and instead of gold, we use something very similar to these trade tokens most of the time. If I wanted someone to help me with my garden for example, I'd offer to watch their children for a few hours in exchange. Depending on the skill of the work, or the commodity being traded the exchange rate is higher or lower, much like any other economic system. Though ours only works the way it does, because everyone knows everyone and if your known for giving a bad trade more often than a good one, people are less likely to trade with you in future."

"Seems more complicated than simply using gold." Dwalin

"Well we'd have to trade for the gold in the first place, the Shire is rich in the bounty of the land, but not so much in precious gems or metals. Its less expensive all around for us to come to agreements. We also have stamps, which are somewhat similar to these tokens, promising a future service in exchange for a past one." Bilbo said.

"Interesting, eight fives." Dwalin said and Bilbo tossed his own stone onto the table.

"Nine fives." Bilbo said and laughed when Dwalin questioned it and it turned out he had no fives. "You did well at distracting me." Bilbo said and chuckled again taking a sip of his beer and rerolling his own dice. He was surprised when he came up with five twos as Dwalin started off.

"Four fours." Dwalin said.

"Five twos." Bilbo said and it went around in a circle, until it came back to Dwalin.

"Eleven twos." Dwalin said and Bilbo frowned for second, before calling Dwalin's bluff.

There were in fact ten twos on the table and Bilbo smiled adding the pile to his own. "Allow us a turn won't you?" Thorin asked and Bilbo laughed.

"Of course." Bilbo said and rolled his dice. Bilbo was just simply enjoying the game, but this round he started it at one and by the time it came back to him, he wagered twelve of something he didn't have one of. He was shocked when no one called him on it and frowned. "You sure there could be twelve threes."

"You said twelve twos a moment ago." Thorin said and Bilbo laughed.

"Well why don't you call me on it then?" Bilbo asked and Thorin frowned before setting out his own wager and Bilbo realized that Bofur hadn't called anything on anyone the entire game. "Switch places with me." Bilbo told Thorin.

"Why?"

"Because it will make the play more even." Bilbo stated and Bofur looked shocked and blushed slightly.

"Have you not been calling me on my wagers?" Thorin demanded of Bofur and Bofur looked down at the table.

"I don't want to offend you."

"Bofur its a game and your my friend, that hasn't changed." Thorin said and sighed. "Would you be more comfortable, if Bilbo sat next to you?" He asked and Bofur nodded.

"I'm sorry its just that I don't wish to offend either of you."

"Its fine Bofur, like Thorin said its a game, think of us like ordinary Dwarrows. I wish we had known one another better before the quest, but we're brothers at arms and we can set aside the titles for a night." Dwalin stated and Bilbo smiled, moving his things over one seat, before play resumed. Bilbo found the game to be a lot harder now that Bofur had truly joined it and they had gotten further and further into the ale. To his surprise Dwalin actually passed out before they had finished playing and all three thought it was hilarious for some reason, though Bilbo's fuzzy head couldn't remember why. Within the next three rounds the others had passed out as well and Bilbo smiled as he moved their chairs back from the table. He was very happy and very drunk as he managed to pull Dwalin off the armchair and onto the floor, careful to place cushions all over it, before pulling him all the way down. He then pulled off the dwarf's shoes and armored plating, before doing the same to the others as well. He wouldn't have been able to carry them anywhere, but there were plenty of cushions and Bilbo was quite proud of his clever thinking, that was of course until Bofur wrapped a vice like grip around his ankle.

" **Mhhuh don' lea' ousin."** Bilbo would have thought the entire situation funny, if he could get the dwarf to let go, but Bofur had no desire to let go of Bilbo's leg and while Bilbo struggled he fell nearly on top of the dwarf groaning at the bruising contact. He tried to get free without hurting Bofur, but it was clear that he had no hope of doing so. He cursed, before finding himself a somewhat comfortable position between Bofur and Thorin's legs, although he had to push both to the side to make room for his body. He thought that it was so uncomfortable and he'd never be able to fall asleep, but as soon as he closed his eyes, darkness overcame him.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Bilbo woke the next morning with a splitting head and someone's leg wrapped around his torso and head. He groaned again, before gently pushing the offending limb off him and sitting up. Bofur had let go of his hold on his foot in the night, now just grasping it loosely, while Thorin had thrown his arms and legs over Bilbo in his sleep. Bilbo sat up not entirely sure what to make of the situation, as someone started pounding at his door. Bilbo groaned again, as none of his Heartsigns seemed to have noticed the noise yet. He managed to disentangle himself from Bofur and Thorin's arms, before going to the door and opening it. A dwarf with a pickaxe in his head stood outside. Bilbo let out a little yelp in response to being greeted by such a sight and quite forgot his manners for a minute.

" **W'ear mahah coooahsan?"** The dwarf asked in the most incomprehensible Khudzul Bilbo had ever heard.

 _What do you want?_ Bilbo signed making the gestures slowly and the dwarrow glared at him.

 _I can sign and hear fine, just can't speak well, where's my cousin?_ The dwarf asked again and Bilbo smiled, Bofur had mentioned something about helping his cousin.

 _I don't know what's your cousin's name?_

 _B-O-F-U-R_

 _He's still asleep, but I can wake him, if you want._ Bilbo offered at the dwarf nodded enthusiastically. _Come in and wipe your shoes on the rug, I'll be back soon._ Bilbo then walked into the study once more and gently shook Bofur's shoulder, then harder and harder still. Bilbo sighed, as it was clear that Bofur didn't want to wake up, so he went back into the other room. _We drank a lot last night and I'm having some trouble waking him._ Bilbo then frowned, realizing that the guards hadn't been standing outside the door. _Where are the guards?_

 _When Bofur not come, I knocked the guards out and start pounding on the door, wanted my cousin. He said that he'd help me with...with...with something._ The dwarf was clearly upset.

 _Bofur mentioned needing to help you with your shop accounts._ Bilbo said and the dwarf nodded. " _The only thing I can think of is tossing water on him at this point and that would displease the others a lot._

 _I can lift my cousin._

 _Alright_ Bilbo said and Bofur picked up Bofur, before having Bilbo show him to the bathroom. Bilbo had Bofur place Bofur in the tub before turning the cold water on. Bofur shrieked and woke up punching the air; Bilbo chuckled and turned the water off. "Sorry Bofur but you weren't waking up and your cousin really wanted you." Bilbo said and Bofur nodded.

"Wish you could have come up with something better, I'm freezing."

"I'm sorry, but it was the only thing I could think of. Would you like to borrow one of my waistcoats, it might fit you."

"No that's alright, I'll get my own clothes and start on the invoices." Bofur said and Bilbo nodded, deciding it was better if Bofur didn't have to worry about the guards.

"Since your wet anyway, why don't you take a bath and I'll make breakfast for the two of you."

"I should get going though." Bofur protested.

 _Is it alright if Bofur takes a bath and I cook breakfast, before you get started on working on the expense reports for your shop?_

 _It's alright_ Bofur agreed and Bilbo nodded.

 _See its fine Bofur, Bofur doesn't mind and I'm sure a bath will help you warm up._ Bilbo said and Bofur nodded. Bilbo smiled at Bofur, before leaving the room with Bofur. _Bofur you weren't supposed to knock out those guards and if Bofur sees he might get worried for you._

 _I don't want to get in trouble. What do we do?_

 _You carry the guards into the side room and I'll tend to them after you leave._ Bilbo offered and Bofur nodded, Bilbo got started on breakfast, as Bofur deposited the guards in the closest unoccupied room, which turned out to be a guest bedroom. Bilbo finished making eggs and was just setting them on three plates as Bofur came back into the room, looking wet and slightly bedraggled. They ate together and then Bofur and Bofur left. Bilbo stacked the plates on the sideboard, before getting out a bag of tonics and searching for some smelling salts. He found them and went back to the room the guards were in. He managed to wake the guards with the smelling salt, their eyes watered at the pungent odor and Bilbo smiled at both of them.

"I'm sorry about what happened, someone wished to see my intended, he was badly injured in battle and not all there in the head. When my intended didn't come at the time they had agreed on, he became worried and confused. When you didn't let him in I suppose he attacked you, but he clearly isn't all there in the head and normally he'd never hurt anyone."

"Where is the King, has anyone been harmed?" The guard on the right demanded.

"Everyone is fine, Thorin and Dwalin are both still asleep and Bofur has already left with the dwarf that knocked you unconscious." Bilbo stated.

"We will inform the King of what has happened, once he wakes up. There is no need to disturb his rest." The guard on the left said.

"Thank you, its early in the day now and we were up quite late last night, could you knock on my door when its time for breakfast and I'll wake the others."

"Of course." Both guards left to go back to their watch and Bilbo hesitated a moment, before deciding to join Dwalin and Thorin in the study. After all since he had slept there all night he had already been extremely improper, there was no harm in further impropriety. Truly all he was doing was trying to convince him to do what he wanted, rather than what was proper for once. He smiled at Thorin and Dwalin a moment, before lying down in between them and sighing contentedly. He smiled softly as Dwalin snorted in his sleep and turned on his side to face Bilbo. Bilbo hesitated a moment, before turning to his back and wrapping the sleeping warrior's hand around him, as he wrapped his own arm around Thorin. He closed his eyes and fell asleep within moments of doing so.

When he woke next it he took a moment to open his eyes, deciding to lie still instead and enjoy the sensation of being held and holding someone. He nestled his face against Thorin's shirt letting out a sigh of contentment. He then realized that it had not been the guards that woke him and he frowned slightly, noticing that both dwarrows were awake. "Good morning." Bilbo said and squeezed Thorin gently.

"How did we get to be here?" Thorin asked and Bilbo smiled softly.

"We got horribly drunk last night and as I was the last one awake, I decided that it would be best to make a makeshift bed in the study, rather than having us all sleep in the chairs." Bilbo said and Dwalin chuckled.

"It was a very pleasant way to wake up indeed, except perhaps for the guards pounding at the door."

"They did knock? Did we miss breakfast?" Bilbo asked concerned.

"No, Dwalin answered the door and then came back here, we tried not to wake you, but it appears we were unsuccessful." Thorin answered and Bilbo blushed.

"Sorry about that, would you care for some hangover tonic, I should have enough in my bag." Bilbo said.

"That would be appreciated." Dwalin said before standing and collecting his stones from the table. Thorin did the same and Bilbo did as well after some hesitation.

"I'll go get them now then." He said and went to his bedroom; he came out a moment later with three vials.

"Will I react strangely to this?" Thorin asked and Bilbo shook his head.

"No these are just herbs that sooth the stomach and mildly relieve pain." Bilbo said and uncorked his bottle draining it. He shuddered at the slightly bitter and unpleasant taste. "I'm going to get dressed, I'll see you both at breakfast." He said and then hesitated a moment. "May I kiss you both?"

"If you want." Thorin said and Dwalin nodded, Bilbo grinned and kissed Thorin first meaning to make it a brief peck on the mouth, but Thorin opened his mouth and after a second of hesitation, Bilbo opened his as well. The kiss was scorching and slightly mind numbing, it felt like it lasted for ages and no time at all. He didn't realize it but his hands went to Thorin's hair as he moaned slightly in pleasure at the kiss, Thorin groaned and deepened the kiss even further. It was a full minute before Bilbo could wrench himself away panting slightly and very aroused.

"Mahuel that was hot." Dwalin said and Bilbo blushed, before he stood on tiptoe and frowned slightly.

"You are going to have to bend your knees or sit down, so I can kiss you." Bilbo admitted and all three laughed.

"Or I could pick you up, I'm pretty strong." Dwalin offered and Bilbo hesitated before nodding, a moment later he was in the warrior's arms and he smiled softly, before meeting his lips with Dwalin's. He sighed melting against the dwarf feeling cherished and protected, he smiled through kissing Dwalin, his hands being unable to resist going to Dwalin's hair and running through it with his fingers. Dwalin shuddered and the kiss became more passionate. Bilbo smiled and responded in kind, it was several minutes before Dwalin thought to set him down.

"That was very nice." Bilbo said and both dwarves laughed.

"Understatement of the century my love." Dwalin said and looked horrified at what he let slip. "That is...I mean..."

"Its alright Dwalin I care for both of you as well, I will have trouble choosing one of you when it comes time."

"Do you truly have to choose?" Dwalin asked and Bilbo stared at him and blushed, looking at the floor.

"You do not seem like the type of men who would eagerly share the one they loved." Bilbo said.

"If it is a choice between sharing you and loosing you, or making you feel incomplete, then we would choose to share you. I think Bofur would feel the same, but you would have to ask him." Dwalin said and Thorin nodded.

"The idea isn't as abhorrent to me, as it was before last night." Thorin said and smiled. "I highly enjoyed myself and I liked having your arms wrapped around me when I woke and my shield brother protecting your back." He said and Bilbo smiled.

"Such a decision shouldn't be taken lightly, we should spend time together, all three of us, as well as time with just me and you, perhaps even time with the three of you without me."

"That isn't necessary, we all know each other very well and we often spend time together, without making it part of courting you. We're not looking to have a relationship with one another, just with you." Thorin said and Bilbo blushed.

"But wouldn't that be a bit unfair though, if I'm erm having relations with one of you, what will the others do."

"Whatever pleases us at that time, I actually enjoy watching bed sport. Dwarves are very through lovers, but we aren't exactly known for our erm staying power." Dwalin said and blushed, Bilbo laughed.

"I know that, it might indeed be good to bond to all three of you as hobbits are rather the opposite as far as that's concerned." Bilbo said and all three blushed, though the dwarves looked slightly interested. "There's a reason for why families are so large in the Shire, we enjoy our bed sport quite often. When I took a dwarves lover, he brought me to spill several times before we had sex and then I brought myself several times after." Bilbo admitted.

"You are being much more candid this morning." Thorin said and Bilbo shrugged.

"I've already been so improper that a bit more impropriety won't make that much of a difference." Bilbo replied. "Now I should be getting dressed."

"Wait will you braid my beard?" Dwalin asked and pressed a stone into Bilbo's hand, Bilbo smiled fondly at the dwarf and nodded.

"Sit down." He said gesturing to a chair. "I'll go fetch my brush." He added and went to his bedroom. He took out his brush and hesitated a moment, before removing two beads from an elaborately carved box. He then went back to Dwalin and gently removed Dwalin's braids, he then brushed Dwalin's hair the warrior let out a sigh of contentment and closed his eyes. "Don't fall asleep again." Bilbo said and Thorin chuckled.

"I doubt he'll be wanting to sleep now and miss having his beard braided by you love." Thorin said and Bilbo smiled softly.

"Would you like the typical warrior braids then and perhaps a courting braid?" He asked and Dwalin smiled.

"That would please me." He said and Bilbo smiled as well.

"I could add a courting braid to your hair as well Thorin."

"Might I braid one into your hair?'

"You both can." Bilbo said and smiled, before braiding Dwalin's beard. He hesitated a moment, before pressing a chaste kiss to Dwalin's forehead, making them both blush. "Now sit down Thorin." Bilbo said and smiled as Thorin sat. This time Bilbo braided a much smaller section of Thorin's hair and secured it with a bead.

"Where did you get this?" Thorin asked admiring the bead at the end of his hair, a small willow tree was depicted on one side and a gemstone on the other.

"I made it, I sometimes carve in the winter months to pass the time, it's only a bit of a hobby and I'm not all that good at it."

"Nonsense this is very fine work indeed." Thorin said and smiled. "Would one of my own beads do for now, I have made beads for my One in the past, but I want to give you something that fits you, when I first give you courting beads." Thorin said and Bilbo smiled.

"I would like that and I would like to carve some that remind me of both of you, once I know you better." Bilbo said and smiled at them both, before sitting down and brushing out his own hair. He noticed that both Dwalin and Thorin were staring slightly.

"I had no idea it was this long." Thorin said.

"I use a series of complicated braids to keep it manageable, I heard that dwarves find long hair to be beautiful and I wanted to look desirable for my future husbands." Bilbo said and felt Thorin's fingers run through his hair. "Not yet, I'm not done working the braids and snarls out yet." He said and continued to work on his hair, when he was finished it came to just below his ass.

"Would you wear it down sometimes?" Thorin asked. "With only your courting braids in it?"

"I wouldn't mind doing that, though not when I want to bake or train, it gets caught on things rather easily, not to mention having food get stuck in it." Bilbo said and both dwarves grimaced looking so upset at the image Bilbo conjured that Bilbo had to hold back a laugh. "I'm finished now, if you would like to add a courting braid, I'll work them into the rest of the braids I do." Bilbo said and smiled as Dwalin braided a section of hair on his left, while Thorin braided a section of hair on his right. Bilbo braided both braids together with the rest of his hair, by the time he'd finished it had returned to hitting just above his shoulders. He stood and turned to both dwarrows surprised at the expression of awe on their faces and desire in their eyes.

"Your braids are very beautiful." Thorin said and Bilbo smiled.

"Thank you. Could I hold your hands as we walk to breakfast?" He asked and both dwarves nodded. Bilbo grinned taking their hands in his and walking with them to the dining hall.

"Move down a seat, so Bofur can sit with us lads." Thorin asked Fili and Kili and both nodded, Bofur looked surprised at the gesture but came all the same. Bilbo smiled at the dwarf and Bofur returned the smile, before Bilbo tucked into his second breakfast. He decided as he ate that he'd start cooking meals more often, he had at the Shire, even though the boys would only join him three times a day, Bilbo still ate the seven meals that it took for him to remain healthy. Glutting himself when he was eating three meals a day, to make up for the meals he'd missed, wouldn't work out well in the long run. Bilbo continued to attack his food, he knew that although he'd been focused on other things, he should also be taking care of himself, it had just been so overwhelming and he'd taken a while to get used to it all.

"Would you like to join me in the training yard today, the dwarrows were as fascinated as I was by your different hand to hand techniques." Dwalin offered and Bilbo smiled.

"I'll join you for the first part of the morning, but afterwards I'm going to have to leave around luncheon or pack something as a snack."

"Luncheon?" Dwalin asked.

"My race burns through food faster than any other of the humanoid races I think, we need seven meals a day to remain healthy and I can't demand that the kitchens take time out of their schedules to see to the needs of one lone hobbit." Bilbo stated and Thorin stared at him.

"You haven't been eating properly?" Thorin demanded and Bilbo nodded.

"First it was on the road and well with everything that's happened recently, I've not had time to consider eating as much as I usually do. I think however I should resume eating what I used to as I've noticed a marked improvement in my ability to function today after having second breakfast. Its not overly healthy for me to eat large portions three times a day, as the food passes through my system at the same time and I don't get the energy I need from doing so. So I'll just make an additional four meals a day and eat as I normally do."

"How will you have time to prepare all that?" Thorin demanded.

"Hobbits love to cook and we're quite efficient in the kitchen, we would have to be given how much we eat." Bilbo replied and finished eating his second breakfast. "I would like to go with you to the training yard, I had fun yesterday." Bilbo said and smiled up at Dwalin who looked a little uncertain at how to respond to Bilbo.

"I'm glad." He said and returned the smile, before Thorin stood and the rest of the dwarves followed.

"Will you hold my hand?" Bilbo asked and Dwalin blushed, he would get teased for it at the barracks but chances were that dwarves had seen him hold hands with Bilbo already. He couldn't stop his feelings from growing or showing around the hobbit. He'd always shown a gruff attitude, he was a guard through and through, but with Bilbo around he couldn't seem to stop acting like a besotted fool, not since the small hobbit had beaten him in sparing. Dwalin had to carefully school his features, so he didn't look like a besotted fool in front of his dwarves. It was one thing to act that way around Bilbo when they were alone; when they were with his dwarves he'd never hear the end of it.

Bilbo smiled and took out a training staff, before warming up his muscles as others did the same around him, although even in the warm ups, dwarves and hobbit techniques varied. Bilbo started with a punching and kicking sequence that left him slightly winded by the time he'd finished the hundred or so reputations. He then moved onto stretching out his arms, legs and back in a series of poses. He felt people staring at him as he continued to move through the poses. "It helps keep the body limber and strong." Bilbo said as he moved his feet up into a headstand, breathing deeply as he maintained the positioning, his mind cleared as he focused on his breathing and maintaining the correct posture. He held it for two minutes, before moving out of it and into a plank position; he bent one arm behind him and then switched arms continuing to breath deeply. He felt centered and smiled as he finished working through his exercises.

"Will you teach us that?" A dwarf asked from the crowd and clearly out of turn.

"If you want to learn a simpler version that we teach our fauntlings, I could teach you that. However just as with the staff and the defensive moves, it takes much longer to master the movements. Neither Fili nor Kili had the flexibility required to pursue the harder techniques, its not an easy set of stretches, it takes will power to maintain the more physically demanding positions." Bilbo said and stretched out his arms, rolling back his shoulder blades slightly. "I am fairly flexible for a hobbit, but I don't know how flexible most of you will be." Bilbo stated and moved one of his feet behind his head, grasping at his heel and pulling it forward a moment, before breaking the stretch and taking his other heel. "I could show you some simple positions if you would all like, but this isn't a defensive technique, this is about centering your body and mind." Bilbo said and everyone stared at him.

"I think we'd all like to learn." Dwalin said and Bilbo smiled.

"Alright first take a deep breath in and raise your arms above your head, then take a deep breath out and slowly roll your body forward until you touch your toes. Then take another deep breath in and go back up to a standing position, raise your arms again and continue to breath deeply. Bilbo said and worked on the stretch he was showing them. "Very good now lets do a plank, this starts with your feet together arms in a crawling position on either side of your head, now when you are ready to, move your body upward, so your weight is distributed to your arms and feet." Bilbo smiled, continuing to go through several more stretches over the course of the next hour. "Its important not to overdo it when you first start, so we'll stop here for now."

"We can handle doing more." Someone said and others nodded.

"Yes, but not everyone can." Bilbo stated careful not to look towards the youngest group of dwarrows, who hadn't yet gotten the muscles that the others had. "Take a brief break and feel the way your muscles feel now that you've completed the set of stretches, focus on your breathing, its good to maintain deep breathing after stretching." Bilbo said and went to get some water; while the exercise wasn't strenuous he was still feeling a bit thirsty from it. He then returned to standing in the middle of the hall. "Now for the next hour, I'll teach you how to take down an opponent in one of the simpler take downs we use." Bilbo said. "Do you have cushions for falling on."

"We're fine with the floor Bilbo." Dwalin stated and Bilbo nodded.

"Actually lets work on falls first, say someone swept one of your legs out from under you, use that momentum to fall backwards like I do, see how my chin is tucked and my arms are positioned, now you use the momentum of the fall to do several things, you could do a roll and then stand, or return to a standing position." Bilbo demonstrated. "Make sure you have plenty of room between yourselves and those practicing around you, take a large step forward and sweep your arms to your right and left, then take a step back and do the same, as you wouldn't want to inadvertently fall into anyone." Bilbo said and watched as the dwarves practiced the movement, moving around the hall and correcting positioning, explaining the movement further to those who needed it. When everyone seemed to be getting the basics, Bilbo's stomach rumbled and he smiled at those in the training hall, as someone arrived from the kitchens. He was surprised to see the dwarrow who carried several stuffed pastries.

"The king ordered me to deliver these to you." The cook said and Bilbo frowned.

"I know your busy preparing lunch, you shouldn't have to worry about my needs on top of feeding the main dining hall." Bilbo protested.

"It is no trouble at all your highness, in fact it is an honor." The cook replied and Bilbo nodded.

"Well then thank you." Bilbo said, deciding that it would be pointless to argue about and it was better to simply eat the meal that had been given to him. There was plenty and Bilbo was surprised at how good they were, he ate and continued to watch the practice. He finished off the pastries and handed the pan back to the cook. He then turned to the other dwarrows. "Good it seems you have the fall down, now for how to force someone to fall." Bilbo said and smiled at Dwalin. "Would you mind helping me with the demonstration?" Bilbo asked and Dwalin nodded.

"Of course." He said and Bilbo nodded, he swept his leg out behind him and stopped just short of Dwalin's ankle. "Sweep your leg forward, before hooking your foot around the other dwarrows ankle and pull your leg to the side like this." Bilbo said and Dwalin wobbled slightly, before correcting his balance. "He's still on his feet because I'm not doing this as one movement, ankles are a weak spot, regardless of how tall the person your fighting or sparring with is. Now when I sweep your leg, I want you to fall backwards like we've been practicing Dwalin." Bilbo instructed and Dwalin nodded, Bilbo swept Dwalin's leg out from under him and Dwalin came back to a standing position. "Did you see how I did it?" Bilbo asked in a lowered voice and Dwalin nodded. "Now we switch, those that practiced the take down, will now be practicing how to get to their feet after a fall." Bilbo said and sent Dwalin back to work with the dwarf he'd partnered up with. He then corrected the form on several of the dwarrows, making sure that they were doing the two moves correctly. This continued for the next several hours until a break was called for lunch.

During the meal Bilbo sat in-between Thorin and Dwalin as he ate and listened to the conversation going around him. Although Dwalin and Thorin were silent themselves. "How was your morning?" Bilbo asked Thorin.

"It went fine, I went to the council hall and held audiences, which will resume after lunch, my voice is a bit tired from the deliberations." Thorin admitted and Bilbo chuckled.

"Some of them were heated were they?"

"You could say that."

"It got that way in Hobbition sometimes as well, I hated having to listen to the petty disputes of my tenants, but its the duty of a landlord to listen and attempt to solve all disputes on his lands in the Shire. Failing that the unresolved disputes are brought before the council every three months or so." Bilbo said and sighed. "I hated going to council because it was always the same hobbits who were complaining about something or other. Is it the same with your audiences?"

"Sometimes, but most know better than to waste the king's time with petty squabbles, those are handled by the guard. Much like with your system, I resolve the disputes that have not been settled elsewhere or listen to different requests that are made by the public at large."

"And how often do you hold audiences?"

"For seven days, every seven weeks, dwarves are fond of the number seven." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded.

"Maybe I'll sit with you sometime."

"I'd like that, I could use your opinion on some of the matters and it would be a customary thing for you to do." Thorin said and Bilbo nodded.

"Maybe not today however, I'm a bit tired from the morning exercises and in the mood to bake."

"I love what I've sampled of your baking." Thorin said and Bilbo smiled at him, giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek, before doing the same with Dwalin, both dwarves blushed at the contact. Bilbo finished his meal and Thorin stood, signaling that the meal was over. Bilbo then walked to the market place to purchase the ingredients for what he wanted to bake and the ingredients to make the tonics he was running low on as well. He then went back to his room and cooked and made tonics until tea. He made his tea and laughed as Fili and Kili burst through the door.

"Can we stay here and have tea with you Bilbo, if I have to listen to one more request, I'll go mad!" Fili said and Kili nodded, both boys were used to running the length and breadth of the Shire, not being cooped up and listening to the requests of others.

"Did you run away from your duties and your Uncle?" Bilbo asked.

"We're hungry Bilbo, please let us eat something at least!" Kili begged and Bilbo sighed, he'd never refuse his brothers a meal if they truly were hungry and both lads knew it.

"Very well but you will go back to Thorin right after tea, I made some caffeinated tea for myself, would you like that or would you prefer some fruit tea?" Bilbo asked.

"The caffeinated please, I need a pick me up, I'm not certain I'll be able to stay awake otherwise. All everyone does in there is drone on and on and its really boring." Kili said and Bilbo laughed, Kili had never been one for staying still, he was very good with defense and his bow, but making the lad sit for his writing, history and arithmetic sessions had been nearly impossible. Fili was only marginally better and Bilbo knew that the boys were bored almost silly with Thorin. That was never a good thing, as both his brothers were known for pranking people when they were bored, more often than not the very person that was causing their boredom.

Bilbo fed his brothers scones and tea, before Thorin burst into the room, his hands were slightly covered in ink and he glared at the brothers. "You don't leave the hall until the deliberations are over."

"They were hungry Thorin!" Bilbo protested.

"They had plenty to eat at lunch and they need to learn to focus on matters of rule, rather than their physical needs. You've babied them for entirely too long!"

"Babied them?" Bilbo demanded. "They aren't fauntlings, but neither should they be forced to stay seated all day. Both of them don't do well cooped up for long periods of time, if you try to do so, your inviting trouble." Bilbo stated.

"Inviting trouble! They are old enough to stay at the council for the day, I was doing so at half their age!"

"And with twice their experience with dwarves law and sitting still for that long. Every dwarrow is different Thorin and Kili simply can't focus for that long, he has a tendency to need to run about, or do exercise drills, otherwise he melts down." Bilbo stated and shook his head.

"I haven't in a while though Bilbo." Kili said and Bilbo nodded.

"However that doesn't mean that you wont if pushed like the council is currently pushing you. You know how you get and it's only been two days, this truly can't keep up." Bilbo protested and both boys looked between him and their Uncle.

"Honestly it is really hard for me to sit still and focus, I've been trying but my mind keeps wandering and I don't understand half of what you're talking about anyway. Why cant I do warrior drills in the mornings and go to the council in the afternoons, its not like I'm going to be king one day, especially after you and Bilbo start having babies."

"We're most likely not going to start right away, you two have put enough grey in my hair for now." Bilbo said and both his brothers laughed.

"There isn't any grey in your hair Bilbo." Kili said.

"Then you made my beard fall out." Bilbo joked and the brothers laughed again.

"You never had one in the first place." Fili said.

"As amusing as all this is, you need to go back to the council now Fili and Kili." Thorin said. "If we wait any longer to return, it would reflect badly upon us."

"Who cares what a bunch of stuffy old dwarves think? All they do is drone on and on and argue back and forth, without even the slightest amount of humor or snacks, like they have in the Shire." Kili said and Bilbo sighed.

"These are your people and they want to do what's right for the good of the kingdom, stay today at least, Thorin could I have them practice with me until elevensies?" Bilbo asked. "That way they should actually be able to focus on the meeting, rather than plotting their next prank or some other form of mischief." Bilbo said and Thorin sighed pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Oh very well, if you truly think it will make a difference, but I expect you to both pay attention for the rest of the day and tomorrow, if you want such an arrangement to continue." Thorin said and both boys sighed.

"Yes Uncle." They both said and Bilbo clearly saw the look that promised retribution in their eyes.

"Smoke a pipe first and let them finish their tea." Bilbo offered and Thorin grudgingly nodded. Bilbo got out the longbottom leaf and lit the pipe for Kili. "I didn't let them have this until they were tweens, but it calms Kili down enough to focus, I'll make some scones for you Kili and you can have them tomorrow at the council."

"Thank you Bilbo." Kili said and smiled, as he puffed on the pipe, his shoulders loosened almost at once and a slight smile pulled at his lips.

"Aren't you drugging him?" Thorin asked concerned. "It made me very relaxed."

"That's what its supposed to do, it helped Kili sit through his lessons once he was a tween, before we had to bribe him to sit still and even that didn't always work." Bilbo said and chuckled, ruffling Kili's hair. Kili passed the pipe to Fili who took a few hits and smiled at Bilbo, before passing the pipe to him. Bilbo smiled and relaxed in his chair, puffing on the pipe, as Fili and Kili finished their tea. He offered Thorin some but the dwarf declined, preferring to keep a clear head while audiences were going on. Bilbo smiled and saw them off, before he started making the scones for Kili, he'd just finished them and some cookies, when a guard knocked and announced it was time for dinner. Bilbo quickly changed out of his flour-covered waistcoat and into a clean one, although there wasn't much to be done for his hair.

He walked to the dining room and sat down beside Thorin and Dwalin. Soon after he sat down they began to serve the food. "You have flour in your hair." Dwalin said and Bilbo nodded.

"I baked all afternoon, so it's only natural to have some flour in my hair." Bilbo said and smiled at Dwalin.

"Next time you should shower before arriving at the table, as it might get in the food." Dwalin said and Bilbo frowned.

"I don't see what the problem is with a little flour, its somewhat expected in the Shire even. Most bake their and so many have flour in their hair upon occasion." Bilbo said. "Still if it is something you wish that I do, I shall oblige you."

"It is not that it is something I wish, it is simply that it reflects poorly upon you as consort and through you Thorin."

"I'm not consort yet." Bilbo stated and smiled through his anger. "Please pass the potatoes. In any event I can hardly be expected to know all dwarves customs, after all the dwarf that taught me of your customs was of middle class in origin." Bilbo stated and shook back his hair rather pointedly. "I am who I am and that is a hobbit, first and foremost, I observe my own culture, you cannot expect me to play the part of a noble dwarf, it would be as ridiculous as me asking you to try to be a respectable hobbit." Bilbo stated flatly and served himself the potatoes, putting the plate down rather forcefully, Fili and Kili turned towards him abruptly staring at him, as he continued to serve himself and poked rather forcefully at a potato. "I am not nor will I ever be a dwarf, you cannot expect me to act as one! Just as I will never grow a beard, I cannot act as you might wish me to, to do so would be a falsehood of the highest order! I am and I will remain a respectable hobbit, so I shall not raise my voice, nor will I storm off as you might if you had been as angered by something I said, as you have angered me." Bilbo stated and both his brothers gave Dwalin sympathetic looks, well acquainted with Bilbo's temper, which he got in spades from his mother's side.

"Dwalin did not mean to offend you, he was simply pointing out something that he thought you should be aware of. You are my one and therefore it will sometimes be expected of you to act according to my station."

"Right so I'm just expected to nod along and look like a pretty sod with no mind of their own?" Bilbo demanded angrily. "Seen and not heard and valar forbid I have a thought in my head contrary to yours or your culture!"

"I didn't say that, simply that your appearance should reflect your position within the court."

"Oh then I should be like a made up doll, some pretty fixture to be put on a shelf?" Bilbo demanded and continued to eat his meal. "Life is not pretty its messy, its dirty and often uncaring of what you desire, or who you love. It takes without mercy and gives little in return. I refuse to pretend that there is not any ugliness in this world, just as I refuse to pretend that things like dirt and flour don't exist. Furthermore I refuse to expect others to wait for me as I wash myself and preen and primp in front of a mirror. I am not a female dwarrow, or will I ever become one and even your women must grow tired of such demands!" Bilbo stated and glared at both dwarves in turn, before picking up his plate and moving to where Bofur was sitting. "You going to say anything about behavior befitting one of my station?" Bilbo demanded. "Because I can eat in my quarters if you..."

"I understand that you are not accustomed to all our customs, if you desire to sit with me you may. It is however unfair of you to accuse me of the actions of others." Bofur pointed out and Bilbo made a frustrated noise, half way between keening and snarling. He sat next to Bofur and suddenly realized how quiet the hall had become. "What's the matter with everyone?" Bilbo demanded.

"Well this could be taken as a public announcement that you prefer me to the others."

"I do at the moment, still that's no cause for such silence, honestly have they never had a fight with their partners? Are all disagreements so benign among your people?"

"Mahuel no, but they usually do it in the privacy of their own home." Bofur replied.

" **Mahuel's bloody blue ass!** " Bilbo cursed then raised his voice. " **MY INTENDEDS HAVE ANGERED ME, I NO LONGER DESIRED TO SIT WITH THEM, ON THIS NIGHT, THAT DOES NOT MEAN I AM REJECTING THEIR SUIT, SIMPLY THAT I WAS AFRAID HOW I WOULD REACT IF FURTHER VEXED BY THEIR WORDS. THEREFORE I WILL FINISH THIS MEAL WITH MY THIRD INTENDED. I AM NOT NOR WILL I EVER BE A DWARF, EXPECTING ME TO KNOW EVERYTHING ONE OF YOUR PEOPLE MIGHT IS RIDICULOUS! FURTHERMORE, I WILL ATTEMPT TO OBSERVE YOUR MANNERS AND CULTURAL NICESITIES BUT DON'T EXPECT ME TO DO SO AS YOU WOULD AS I AM NOT NOR WILL I EVER BE A DWARF. BELIEVING THAT I SHOULD ACT LIKE ONE OF YOUR CONSORTS IS AS RIDICULOUS AS ME EXPECTING YOU TO ACT LIKE PROPERLY RESPECTABLE HOBBITS."** Bilbo shouted at the top of his lungs. He then returned to his food and the silence that surrounded the table, it was clear that he'd shocked everyone there and then both Fili and Kili started laughing, Bilbo joined a moment later and smiled at the lads who grinned back at him.

" **Bilbo isn't a submissive male, you shouldn't try to make him into one." Fili said and chuckled. "You got him right fit to be tied, oh this is going to be so much fun!"** Bilbo groaned at the thought of Fili interfering with his courting.

 **"Remember our agreement Fili?"** Bilbo asked and Fili paled, they had agreed that if the boys didn't interfere with his courting, he wouldn't interfere with theirs.

" **Yes battle brother, I remember, I won't interfere but that doesn't mean I won't enjoy watching all of you make a fool out of yourselves."** Fili said and Bilbo laughed, pouring himself a flagon of ale, his brothers were always good at cheering him up.

" **As will I, when Mahuel sees fit to reveal your One to you."** Bilbo said and drained his flagon as both his brothers laughed. For the rest of dinner they bantered back and forth across the table, as everyone else remained silent. After a while of speaking with his brothers, the silence of the other dwarves didn't bother him so much. He could tell his intendeds were angry with him, even Bofur but he found he didn't really care, as he was still mad as well. After they finished their meal and Thorin stood, followed by the other dwarves, Bilbo walked with Fili and Kili back to his chambers, before barring everyone else from entering them. The others knocked and shouted at the door to his chambers, but he had no interest in answering them and so remained quiet. He sighed and Fili and Kili smiled at him.

"You'll have to face them eventually, maybe it would be better to get it over with?" Fili asked and Bilbo frowned.

"I have no desire to fight with them tonight and that's what would happen, given my dark mood." Bilbo said and both boys nodded.

"Well you don't want anger to simmer on a pot, better to hash things out now than wait for later and the pot to overflow and create a mess." Fili said and Bilbo laughed.

"You learned much of my people's culture, I suppose it isn't impossible for me to learn yours. Though honestly I don't know how they expect me to act like a proper dwarves consort." Bilbo said and both boys laughed, he felt better having his brothers there and sighed, squaring his shoulders and lighting his pipe letting the longbottom leaf calm him somewhat, before he got his staff and walked to the door. "Do you wish to talk, or do you want to fight?" He demanded of the three slightly out of breath dwarrows and the other guards. "Because I can do either or both."

"We want to talk Bilbo." Thorin replied and Bilbo gave a curt nod, before going into the dining room and fixing a pot of tea and a plate of scones.

"What are you doing?" Dwalin demanded.

"Following arguments hobbits settle their disagreements with discussions, do you wish for me to be arbiter, or Kili?" Fili asked.

"You can both be." Bilbo called over his shoulder. "Please wait at the table, while I finish with the tea."

"I don't need any Mahuel dammed tea, I need to talk with you Bilbo!" Dwalin said and Bilbo popped his head around and sent Dwalin a glare that made the warrior slightly afraid for the first time in a long while.

"And you will be doing just that, as soon as I have everything properly settled." Bilbo stated and shortly after came from the kitchen with cups of tea and a plate of the scones he had baked earlier that day. "Would anyone like anything else?" Bilbo asked and everyone shook their heads. "Good now then we should get started. Discussions happen in several rounds, the first one person states calmly how they feel, in the second others mirror those feelings back and in the third try to sympathize with the other person, everyone gets a chance to speak and the arbiters are there to ensure that it doesn't get too heated." Bilbo sated and the others nodded.

"Seems a lot like diplomacy, why do you need diplomacy with a relationship?" Dwalin demanded and Bilbo smiled.

"Well my people believe that's where you need diplomacy most, it's important to ensure that others in a relationship understand one another's feelings." Bilbo stated. "Otherwise misunderstandings erupt and can lead to quite vicious fights. Hobbits prefer much like you people to fight in private, but in the heat of the moment that can often be forgotten. I am sorry that I became angry but I'm not sorry for what I said, would you prefer to begin, or should I?" Bilbo asked and when no one else wanted to start he did. "I'm not a dwarf, nor will I ever be, I can't be expected to know how to act as you might wish me to. I am however a respectable hobbit, which means that I endeavor to uphold the beliefs, manners and customs of my people. In addition to which I am quite wealthy and I also a master at three or more crafts. That's not important at the moment however, what is important to me is that you understand that I have my own culture and beliefs, I will respect yours but I can't be expected to act as a dwarf would. Furthermore I'm not someone who simply nods along with whatever their partner says and blindly follows what they might wish them to do. I'm not a submissive little hobbit that you can dress in dwarves finery and get to act the part of a dwarves consort, it would be seen as false the moment you tried. I doubt having me pretend to be something I'm not, would endear me to your people at any rate." Bilbo said and took a hit from his pipe. "As that is the case, as long as you don't expect me to be the perfect consort, I will try to follow your cultural norms in public, however if you feel that I am not following or doing something correctly, please address it in the privacy of my chambers, rather than talking down to me in front of everyone in the dining hall. I am finished now, you state what I said back to me and try to understand where I am coming from."

"You don't want to be treated like a dwarves consort, you want to be treated like yourself. However..."

"This is not your time to speak your own mind, this is your time to reflect upon what Bilbo has said Uncle." Fili said and Bilbo smiled.

"You want to be treated as a hobbit, not as a dwarf and you want us to respect you for who you are and not to expect you to be something you aren't. You feel that attempting to be the perfect consort as you say would read as false to our people." Bofur said and Bilbo nodded.

"You wish to ignore your duties as consort and instead act as you see fit." Dwalin stated and Bilbo frowned.

"I do not mind acting out the duties of a consort, I mind that you expect me to act like a submissive noble dwarf and follow your instructions. I don't demand things of you, please do not demand them of me." Bilbo stated. "You may of course request that I do things you desire, but you can't demand that I act a certain way, or that I do certain things."

"We're all expected to act a certain way Bilbo! Why is it that you feel that you should be free of such responsibilities?" Thorin demanded exasperated.

"This is turning into an argument rather than a discussion, you should be trying to understand where I'm coming from, not insulting or inserting your own feelings now." Bilbo stated and sighed.

"I can understand why you are upset, if you demanded that I act like a respectable hobbit, I wouldn't know where to begin." Bofur said and smiled crookedly at Bilbo, before taking out one of his stones that he'd won in the dice game. "How about this, you take a lesson from Dis in dwarves high court manners, it will take a few hours out of your day and I would appreciate it, as I would prefer the council to be on good terms with the royal family." He said and Bilbo accepted the stone.

"I do not mind learning, merely being told off like I was an errant child." Bilbo stated and all three dwarves looked slightly abashed. "You can't expect me to act like a dwarves lord, I thought my heartsign would be of common birth and so never learned the manners of high court. Would you expect a lower born dwarf to suddenly know how to act as though they were high born?"

"I was base born, before I became rich and you can learn how to act befitting your station if you desire." Bofur said and Bilbo sighed.

"I don't mind acting the part of a dwarves consort, I've already explained that you can't expect me to be perfect at it. I must first and foremost be myself; I can't be expected to constantly act as something I'm not. I would be glad to know of your cultural practices and know how to not embarrass my intendeds as I don't seek to do that, but you can't tell me off in public or expect me to be completely subservient to you. I don't expect you to be subservient to me, so why should you expect me to be so?"

"We can simply moderate the conversation from now on, as no one seems interested in following the order of a discussion." Fili said and Bilbo sighed before nodding.

"It is not a matter of subservience Bilbo it is a matter of what is expected of you, as a consort. I learned to do what was expected of me, first as a prince and then as a king, you should learn to do what is expected of you. My duty is first to my people as their king; I was taught from a young age that my life was not my own but rather belongs to my people. Certain things are expected of you as my consort and if the people are unhappy with their rulers it can lead to unrest."

"Really from not behaving the way they expect?" Bilbo shook his head. "I thought hobbits were sticklers for decorum." Bilbo said.

"You see why it's important that you behave in a manner befitting a consort." Thorin said

"I will try to do so." Bilbo said and yawned. "As we have come to an agreement and I'm tired, I'll have to bid you goodnight." He said and the three dwarves looked between them.

"Might we stay with you?" Dwalin asked and Bilbo frowned.

"It would not be proper." Bilbo protested.

"We did so last night and I for one slept better for it." Dwalin said.

"You slept better for the quarter keg of ale you drank." Thorin teased and Dwalin laughed.

"That may be, but please Bilbo, as we've already been improper by your people's standards what's a bit more impropriety?" Dwalin asked and eyed Bilbo up and down; Bilbo blushed from the heat of his gaze.

"We can't do any err bed sport until after we are bound and once committed to, the binding is for life. I for one need more time to decide if I wish to bind my life to yours." Bilbo stated and the three dwarrows stared at him. "That being said, as long as we simply sleep together and do nothing but sleeping it should not trigger the bond, that requires an exchange of erm fluids." Bilbo stated and Thorin frowned.

"I've already kissed you, does that mean we're bonded."

"No its err, brought about release and the acceptance of the other's bodily juices, a piece of that being is absorbed and through absorbing each other's essence a bond is formed. Well that and the ritual words of course" Bilbo stated and all three dwarves nodded.

"Right we'll keep our hands to ourselves then, are you certain that you are alright with us sleeping together?" Bofur asked and Bilbo nodded.

"Thorin's room is bigger, how about we meet back there after changing into our sleeping clothes."

"Or you could just undo my armor like you did last night, wish I had been awake for it." Dwalin said and Bilbo blushed and laughed a little.

"You were snoring, quite loudly in fact and Bofur grabbed hold of my legs, so I couldn't move." Bilbo said.

"Sorry about that, I have a tendency to grab onto things or people in my sleep. When I was young, it was either my Amad or my favorite stuffed toy, even now sometimes I find myself holding my pillow rather than resting my head on it in the morning." Bofur said and Bilbo smiled at him.

"It was fine Bofur, any way its been a long day and I would like to go to bed soon, that means you need to leave my quarters so I can get changed." Bilbo said and the dwarves left a moment later. Bilbo pulled on his nightshirt, dressing gown and sleeping pants, before unbraiding his hair. In dwarves courtship the only time they fully unbraided their hair, was around someone they were considering courting seriously. Even in sleep dwarves usually kept at least one braid in. Bilbo however found wearing braids to be uncomfortable when he was sleeping and as he had agreed to something he considered to be a big step in their relationship, he thought he might as well show it.

He smiled softly as he knocked on the door. "Come in." Thorin said and Bilbo walked into the room, Thorin stared at him in shocked surprise, as Bilbo took off his dressing gown and got under the covers of Thorin's bed shivering slightly from the chill of the room. The stones in the mountain were cold and although they kept in heat, Bilbo realized that he'd most likely have to special order some slippers soon, as the floors were starting to get cold to the touch. He wondered what they would be like in winter and then realized that Thorin was still staring at him as he huddled under the blankets. Thorin was wearing his sleeping pants and what seemed to be a worn shirt that looked comfortable enough.

"Are you going to join me in bed?" Bilbo asked and Thorin nodded, coming over and getting into the bed as well, Bilbo smiled softly and settled his head on Thorin's chest, smiling softly as he felt the dwarf inhale sharply before he exhaled. Bilbo curled one of his hands in the fabric of Thorin's shirt as a knock came at the door. "Come in." Bilbo said and yawned smiling at Dwalin and Bofur who stared at him as well. Bilbo blushed at their heated gazes and patted the bed. "Get in, I know how cold those floors are." Bilbo said and Bofur nodded, both dwarves were dressed similarly to Thorin, though Dwalin's clothes were more like fighting leathers. "Dwalin, you should wear something more comfortable."

"I'm not in the habit of wearing clothes to bed and this is all I have." Dwalin said.

"Borrow a set of my sleeping pants, we're of a size and Bilbo is right, those do look uncomfortable to sleep in." Thorin said and Dwalin nodded, he came back a little later in sleeping pants that seemed to be slightly more comfortable. Bilbo smiled as Dwalin lay on his side besides Thorin and curled one arm around Bilbo. Bofur blew out the candles, before getting into the bed as well and settling himself behind Bilbo. Bilbo sighed contentedly and nuzzled Thorin's chest, finding the best spot for his head, before closing his eyes and falling asleep, not knowing truly how he had effected the dwarves and how they each lay awake for some hours listening to his breathing and thinking of the future.


End file.
